Sourdough Brioche Bread

Build the Levain:
Mix together the sourdough starter, bread flour, and warm water in a clean and empty jar. Cover and let it sit in a warm location for about five hours until doubled, bubbly, and ripe.
Alternatively, skip this step and mix 90g of active sourdough starter into your dough.
30 grams Sourdough Starter, 30 grams Bread Flour, 30 grams Warm Water
Make the Yudane:
Make the yudane at the same time as you build the levain or at least five hours before you make the dough.
Place 58 grams of bread flour in a small heatproof bowl. Boil 58 grams of boiling water in a tea kettle or on a stovetop and pour the boiling water directly onto the flour. Mix together with a small spatula until the mixture is gelatinized and forms a thick paste. Set aside to cool.
58 grams Bread Flour, 58 grams Boiling Water
Mix the Sourdough Brioche Bread Dough:
When your levain is ripe, mix together all of the dough ingredients except the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook.
Mix on low speed until it begins to form a shaggy dough. Increase the speed to medium and mix for about five minutes. When done, the dough should be smoother and mostly clear the sides of the bowl. Scrape down the sides if needed.
212 grams Bread Flour, 27 grams Granulated Sugar, 5 grams Sea Salt, Levain, Yudane, 59 grams Whole Milk, 2 Eggs
Add Butter:
Slice the softened butter into at least 8 pieces (about 1 TBS each).
With the mixer on medium speed, add one piece of butter at a time until it is fully incorporated into the dough. Let the dough mix for at least a minute or two before adding in the next piece of butter. This should take at least 10 minutes in total.
Once all the pieces are added, continue to mix for at least five more minutes until the dough is silky smooth, does not stick to your finger, and easily slides off the dough hook. The dough should pass the windowpane test (please refer to the guide for windowpane test photos and explanation). If your dough seems a little weak after mixing, it will continue to build strength as it ferments.
113 grams Unsalted Butter
Bulk Fermentation:
Transfer the dough to a medium mixing bowl, gather into a round, cover, and place in a warm location to proof about 5 hours in total at 78ºF.
Stretch & Fold:
After the first hour, perform a series of stretch & folds in the dough. Simply pull up a portion of the dough in four different sections and fold it down upon itself. Add another stretch & fold after another hour if you notice the dough is still very slack.
Overnight Proof:
After five hours or when the dough has doubled, domed, and you likely see a couple of bubbles on top, place the dough in a cold spot of your refrigerator for the overnight proof.
Proof the dough for at least 8 hours and up to 48 hours in the refrigerator.
Divide Dough:
The next day, butter or spray your bread loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Remove the chilled brioche dough from the refrigerator and punch it down with a fist to degas it.
Then, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.
Using a knife or bench scraper, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. They should be around 170-175g each.
Shape Dough:
Working on a floured surface and one piece at a time, pat the dough into a small rectangle (about 3″x5″).
Roll up the dough, starting from the short side nearest you, into a cylinder.
Place seam side down in the prepared bread loaf pan and repeat with the remaining three pieces.
The pieces should fit evenly and snugly into the pan.
Final Proof:
Keep the dough covered in a warm location for its final proof. The final proof should take about 5 hours at 78ºF.
At the end of proofing, the dough should double and feel full of air. If you take a floured finger and gently poke it, it should leave a slight indentation.
Bake:
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
When the oven is preheated, beat an egg with a splash of water in a small bowl to make an egg wash. Brush the top of the proofed brioche dough with a light egg wash.
Place the brioche into the oven and immediately turn the oven temperature down to 350ºF.
Bake for 45 minutes at 350ºF or until the top of the dough is golden brown. The internal temperature should read 195-205ºF.
Remove the sourdough brioche from the oven and let it cool for about five minutes in the pan.
Turn the loaf out of the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack for at least an hour.
Pull apart, slice & enjoy!
1 Egg, 1 tsp Water

Equipment

Ingredients

Levain

Yudane

Sourdough Brioche Bread Dough

Egg Wash

Instructions

Notes