Catholic Recipe: Brioche

This famous Brioche, a very light rich bread, finds its place on most French tables on Christmas day. It is best mixed on Christmas Eve so the dough can stand before it is baked. Use a very hot oven on Christmas morning to make the dough rise quickly. Although the crust is crisp and brown, the center should be soft. Handle the dough lightly.

DIRECTIONS

Mix yeast with warm water and one cup flour. Cover and set aside to rise. Mix remaining dry ingredients. Work in butter with your fingers. Add eggs. Add milk very slowly. (The dough should be softer than bread dough.) Mix in yeast combination and let rise one to two hours. Punch down and keep in a cold place until ready to use. Then shape in loaves. Place in two 6x10 loaf pans. Put in warm place until dough rises about one third more in size. Brush with beaten egg. Bake in hot oven (450°) until brown. This recipe will make two loaves.