Authentic French brioche braided bread recipe (called Pain brioché tressé in French) – step by step – for the perfect breakfast & brunch. Easy, butter-y brioche loaf for Easter, Christmas. A basic brioche dough recipe, ideal for brioche French toast or French toast casserole, brioche buns, rolls, twists or even bread pudding. Bread machine compatible, vegetarian.
Today I’m going to show you how to make the perfect basic French brioche – braided loaf bread. Easy, step by step recipe, tested though generations of bread makers in my family.
IF YOU ARE A FAN OF SWEET TWISTED BREAD, check out my recipe for: Polish Cinnamon Twists.
Behind the Bites:
French brioche dates back to the 1400s, with its origins rooted in the Normandy region of France. Like many European recipes, it evolved over time, becoming a cherished pastry enjoyed worldwide. Legend has it that brioche was created by accident when a French chef added an unusually generous amount of butter at the end of the bread-making process. For centuries, this rich, buttery bread was a luxury reserved for the wealthy, as butter was an expensive commodity. Today, however, anyone can enjoy making this exquisite bread at home.
What makes this recipe special is its versatility—it’s a classic French brioche dough that can be shaped into buns, rolls, twists, croissants, and more. Leftovers (if there are any!) can be transformed into French toast, brioche French toast casserole, or even bread pudding. In fact, this might just be the only brioche recipe you’ll ever need! Plus, the dough can be kneaded by hand, in a bread machine, or with a stand mixer for effortless preparation.
Brioche Ingredients:
- Eggs – beaten, free range taste always better in my view.
- Milk – cow’s milk (around 1,5-3% fat will do).
- Flour – all purpose flour, or Italian type 00 works great.
- Butter – room temperature, cubed.
- Sugar – I prefer brown sugar, however use white instead if you wish.
- Yeast – I prefer to use fresh yeast (cubes) but you can substitute with instant dry yeast too.
- Pinch of salt – optional
NOTE: Add chocolate chips, fresh orange or lemon peel, cinnamon and raisins or other ingredients to elevate the taste further.
How to cook French Brioche – braided bread:
1st: Mix eggs, milk, sugar, yeast and flour. Knead for a minute. Add cubes of room temperature butter and knead to get an elastic, smooth but slightly sticky dough. Do not be tempted to add more flour.
2nd: Shape with floured hands and let rise for 1-2 hours or overnight in the fridge. Divide in 3, then make 3 long, equal length sticks.
3rd: Braid the brioche and tuck the ends inwards. Brush with egg yolk and bake in preheated oven. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy. Bon Appetit.
French Brioche Braided Bread
Equipment
- 1 bread loaf pan 9×5 inch/23 cm
- 1 kneading bowl
- 1 kitchen robot, optional
Ingredients
- 500 g white flour
- 20 g fresh yeast cube (7 g/1 pack instant dry yeast)
- 100 g brown sugar
- 200 ml milk, lukewarm
- 2 medium eggs
- 80 g soft butter, in cubes
- pinch of salt optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl add fresh yeast, a few tbsp. warm milk and a pinch of sugar. Cover with cloth. Let sit until yeast activate 910 min max). Skip if using instant dry yeast.
- Then, add flour, eggs, remaining sugar, milk, (already activated) yeast and salt to a bowl and knead (by hand/bread machine/kitchen robot) – approx. 5 min.
- Next, add cubes of room temperature butter and incorporate in the dough. Knead around 7 minutes or until fully incorporated. The dough should be smooth, soft but slightly sticky. Do not add more flour.
- With floured hands shape the dough and let rise for approx. 2 hours in warm-ish environment. Or cover with cling film and let rise overnight in the fridge. Remove from fridge 30 min before baking and leave at room temperature.
- Once dough has risen, divide in 3 equal parts. Shape each part into a long thick, stick. Braid as shown in the photos above and place into loaf pan.
- Bake in preheated oven on 180C/360F until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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