Lunch: Basic Brioche

Recipe by Rose Levy Beranbaum This is my basic brioche recipe, soft, light, and intensely buttery. For those who desire even more butter, it can be increased to 6 ounces, which will also make the crumb finer, denser, and more cake-like. This is actually

Ingredients

water, at room temperature (70 ° to 90 °F): 2 tablespoon (1 ounce or 29.5 grams)
sugar: 1 tablespoon (scant 0.5 ounce or 12.5 grams)
instant yeast: 1/4 teaspoon (0.8 grams)
unbleached all-purpose flour (use only Gold Medal, King Arthur, or Pillsbury): 1/2 cup (2.5 ounces or 71 grams)
eggs: 1 large egg (2 ounces or 58 grams weighed in the shell)

Instructions

One day or up to 2 days ahead, make the dough. In the mixer bowl, place the water, sugar, instant yeast, flour, and egg. Whisk by hand until very smooth, to incorporate air, about 3 minutes. The sponge will be the consistency of a very thick batter. (At first the dough may collect inside the whisk, but just shake it out and keep whisking. If it's too thick to whisk, it means you've added too much flour and will need to add a little of the eggs to be added Step 3.) Scrape down the sides of the bowl and set it aside, covered with plastic wrap.