Brioche Recipe

There are certain smells that instantly transport us back to childhood. For me, brioche is one of them.

When I was young, every visit to my grandmother’s house followed the same cherished ritual. Early each morning, a freshly baked brioche would be delivered to the house by the local baker. At the time, it felt like the greatest luxury imaginable. We would gather around the table and cut thick, generous slices while it was still soft and fragrant. As if the brioche itself was not indulgent enough, we would spread it lavishly with butter and finish it with a layer of shining apricot jam. The butter would slowly melt into the warm crumb, mingling with the sweetness of the fruit. It was simple, comforting and utterly blissful.

Brioche is one of those recipes that many home bakers dream of mastering, yet often avoid because it seems intimidating. Rich doughs have a reputation for being difficult, temperamental and unforgiving. The truth is that they do not need to be.

We spent months refining this vegan version until it delivered everything I remember from those childhood mornings: the delicate sweetness, the feather-light crumb and the rich buttery flavour that defines a great brioche. The result is a recipe that is remarkably straightforward and almost impossible to get wrong if you follow the steps carefully.

Most importantly, I can confidently say that you would be hard pressed to distinguish it from a traditional animal-based brioche. It has the same tender texture, the same golden richness and the same irresistible aroma as it emerges from the oven. In many ways it resembles a pain de mie, but the incorporation of butter gives it a softer crumb and a depth of flavour that makes brioche one of the great treasures of French baking.

I hope it brings as much joy to your table as those Provençal mornings brought to mine.

Vegan Brioche

Yield: approximately 900 g dough (1 large loaf or 12–14 buns)

Ingredients

• 400 g strong white bread flour

• 200 g plant milk (soy milk works particularly well)

• 170 g vegan butter, softened

• 80 g caster sugar

• 14 g fine sea salt

• 12 g fresh yeast

• 40 g vegetable oil

Method

1. Prepare the dough

   • Place the flour, sugar and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.

   • Add the plant milk and vegetable oil.

   • Mix on low speed until a rough dough forms.

2. Develop the gluten

   • Increase to medium speed and knead for 6–8 minutes.

   • Add the salt and continue mixing for a further 2 minutes.

3. Incorporate the butter

   • Add the softened vegan butter gradually, a little at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding more.

   • Continue kneading for 8–10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, glossy and elastic. It should pull away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.

4. First fermentation

   • Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled container.

   • Cover and leave to rise at room temperature until doubled in size, approximately 1½–2 hours.

5. Cold proof

   • Gently knock back the dough.

   • Cover and refrigerate overnight (minimum 8 hours). This makes the dough easier to shape and improves flavour.

6. Shape

   • Shape into a loaf, braid, or individual brioche buns.

   • Place in buttered moulds or loaf tins.

7. Final proof

   • Leave to prove at 24–26°C until doubled in size and very light to the touch, approximately 2–3 hours.

8. Bake

   • Brush with a mixture of soy milk and a little maple syrup for shine.

   • Bake:

     • Loaf: 170°C fan for 28–35 minutes.

     • Buns: 170°C fan for 14–18 minutes.

   • The brioche should be deep golden brown and reach an internal temperature of around 92–94°C.

9. Finish

   • Brush lightly with melted vegan butter as soon as it comes out of the oven.

   • Allow to cool completely before slicing.