Milk brioche rolls are a delectable, soft, and rich pastry, perfect for breakfast or as a snack. These rolls are characterized by their golden-brown exterior, which has a slightly crisp texture, and a soft, fluffy interior that melts in your mouth. The key to their delightful flavor and texture is the use of high-quality milk, which adds a creamy richness.
The dough for these rolls is made using a traditional brioche recipe, which includes a generous amount of butter, giving them a tender, rich crumb and a buttery taste. The dough is carefully kneaded to develop gluten, which contributes to the rolls’ soft, airy texture. After kneading, the dough undergoes a slow fermentation process, often in a cool place, which allows the flavors to develop fully.
Once the dough has risen and doubled in size, it’s divided into small portions and shaped into smooth, round rolls. This shaping process is crucial as it ensures the rolls bake evenly and have a uniform appearance. Before baking, the rolls are often brushed with an egg wash, which gives them a shiny, golden finish.
In the oven, the rolls bake until they reach the perfect balance of a crispy exterior and a soft, fluffy interior. The aroma of butter and freshly baked bread fills the air as they cook. These milk brioche rolls are best enjoyed warm, straight out of the oven, where their buttery and milky flavors are most pronounced. They can be served plain, or with a variety of spreads like jam, honey, or even more butter for an indulgent treat. The contrast between the golden crust and the light, airy center makes each bite a delightful experience.
Milk brioche rolls are versatile and can be adapted to various flavors. Some variations include adding ingredients like chocolate chips, dried fruits, or nuts into the dough, or even filling the rolls with sweet or savory ingredients. Regardless of the variation, these rolls remain a favorite for their rich flavor and luxurious texture.
Ingredients:
For the Brioche Dough:
- 4 cups (500g) bread flour
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (7g) active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (180ml) warm whole milk
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 10 tablespoons (140g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg yolk for egg wash
- Sesame seeds or poppy seeds (optional)
Instructions:
Making the Brioche Dough:
- Activate the Yeast:In a small bowl, combine the warm milk and a pinch of sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
- Combine Dry Ingredients:In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the bread flour, sugar, and salt.
- Mixing the Dough:Add the activated yeast mixture and eggs to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together.
- Incorporate Butter:Cut the softened butter into small cubes and gradually add them to the dough, mixing on medium speed. Continue mixing for 10-15 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It might be sticky but avoid adding more flour.
- First Rise:Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Shaping and Baking:
- Preheat the Oven:Once the dough has risen, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Divide and Shape:Punch down the risen dough to release excess air. Divide the dough into equal-sized portions, shaping each into a smooth ball. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between each roll to allow for rising.
- Second Rise:Cover the shaped rolls loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let them rise again for about 30-45 minutes, or until they double in size.
- Egg Wash and Topping:In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk. Gently brush the risen rolls with the egg wash. If desired, sprinkle sesame seeds or poppy seeds on top for added flavor and texture.
- Bake:Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown on top and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Cooling:Once baked, transfer the rolls to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
These milk brioche rolls are wonderfully soft and rich, perfect for enjoying fresh out of the oven or using for sandwiches. Enjoy the delightful taste and texture of these homemade rolls!
FAQs
Advice for making traditional brioche:
Use good-quality flour with a high gluten content, ideally a fine pastry flour (T45 in France). Classic French brioche recipes use half as much egg and butter as flour.
What to eat with milk brioche rolls? ›
After school, French children often like to have a few squares of milk chocolate wrapped in a brioche roll and washed down with a glass of milk. For breakfast, the French love a sweet moment to start the day, and will have brioche slices with jam or Nutella spread on them, served alongside a warm, milky coffee.
Is milk bread the same as brioche? ›
The Difference Between Milk Bread and Other Breads
There are also no eggs in most yeast breads. When it comes to milk bread vs. brioche, the texture and look are similar, though brioche uses more eggs in the dough and has a sweeter taste.
What makes a brioche roll different? ›
Brioche is a classic French bread distinguished by the addition of butter and eggs, which makes it an “enriched” dough.
Is bread flour or all-purpose flour better for brioche? ›
Plain / all-purpose flour – An interesting fact is that Brioche is fluffier, rises better (about 15% taller) and has a softer crumb when made with plain / all-purpose flour rather than bread flour (ie. high protein flour).
What can I use instead of yeast for brioche? ›
Baking Soda, Milk and Vinegar
Vinegar, milk and baking soda mixed together helps the bread rise. Use one teaspoon of baking soda, half a teaspoon of vinegar and half a teaspoon of milk to replace two teaspoons of yeast. Lighter batters may have a slightly different texture, but you will still get a rise from the dough.
What pairs well with brioche? ›
On the other hand, honey brings a sort of sweetness to french brioche bread that isn't matched by any other spread. When it comes to spreads, think chocolate hazelnut, jam, butter (and a pinch of salt), and honey.
Are brioche rolls good for you? ›
Brioche rolls should be enjoyed in moderation due to the higher fat content, because this fat content comes mostly from saturated fats. Saturated fats should be limited to 5% to 6% of daily caloric intake, according to the American Heart Association.
Why are brioche rolls so good? ›
A brioche roll is a form of enriched dough. That means that it's made the same way as a regular roll of bread, but lots of butter and eggs are added to it. This gives it a richer flavor with a tender crumb and soft texture.
How do you eat milk brioche rolls? ›
Try brioche buns with your breakfast if you get tired of slices. Eat the brioche buns plain, or cut them in half with a knife and spread butter and jam over the inside. You can also toast the cut sides of the brioche buns before you eat them.
It has a milky-sweet flavor and a feathery soft texture that tears into wispy strands and melts in your mouth. It has none of the naturally leavened holes or sourdough tang that's prized these days among bread nerds.
Why is milk bread so good? ›
The dough is left to rise at a low temperature for a long time, making it especially sweet, and the long steaming process gives it a moist and mellow texture. To make its decadent treats, the store uses 100-percent Japanese wheat, along with cream, condensed milk, cream cheese, and pure honey.
Why is brioche bread so expensive? ›
Brioche is one of the costliest bakery products because of its high proportion of butter and eggs.
What are some fun facts about brioche bread? ›
History of Brioche Buns
The name comes from the old French verb 'brier' which means 'to work the dough'. Brioche's recipe was perfected with the addition of extra butter and eggs which masks the flavour of the sourdough starter that is commonly used.
Are brioche and Hawaiian rolls the same? ›
Are Hawaiian rolls the same as brioche? They are similar since Hawaiian rolls and brioche are both enriched doughs, meaning they include eggs and/or butter. The main difference is that Hawaiian rolls are sweeter and include pineapple juice to give them a super yummy flavor.
What flour is brioche made from? ›
Use a high-quality flour with a high protein percentage. Brioche requires gluten to hold its shape despite the large amount of butter in the recipe. The more gluten (protein) you have, the better. In Alberta, all-purpose flour is of great quality and usually has around 13% protein which is perfect for this recipe.
What is brioche dough made of? ›
Brioche is a yeasted dough that falls firmly into the enriched dough camp. Unlike simple lean doughs (think French bread or pita bread) that only need flour, yeast, water, and salt, enriched dough also has sugar, butter or oil, eggs, and milk or cream.
Can you use bread flour to make brioche? ›
While you can use bread flour, it'll result in a slightly chewier loaf of brioche. Eggs — for a rich loaf of bread, don't skimp on the eggs. You can use any eggs you have on hand, but if you would like a deeper yellow color to your loaves, use eggs that have deep orange yolks.
What is the best flour for stretchy dough? ›
Strong white bread flour
As it's got more gluten development, it will be very elastic.
