Rich Brioche Loaves

A golden, puffy French cake-like, yeast-risen pastry with a high egg and butter content giving it a rich and tender crumb.

Recipe Ingredients:

4 (.25-ounce) packages active dry yeast or 3 tablespoons
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup milk
6 large egg yolks
3 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter, softened

Cooking Directions:

1. In a small dish stir yeast in warm water to softened. In a large bowl combine yeast, sugar, salt, warm milk, egg yolks, and eggs. Fold in flour and stir in softened butter. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead well, about 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary. The dough should form a glossy ball with no stickiness. Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover; let rise, allowing to double in size; at room temperature, for about 1 1/2 hours.
2. Punch down, return to bowl, and refrigerate for 6 hours.
3. Remove dough from refrigerator. Stir dough down. Divide in half. Punch down and roll into loaves. Place in 2 greased loaf pans. Let rise in warm place until almost double in size about 45 minutes.
4. Bake in 450°F (230°C) oven for 10 minutes, or until done. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks.

Makes 2 loaves.