Bubble-Top Brioche Rolls
Out of all of the things that I made for Thanksgiving dinner, it was these that I was the most proud of! Having never ever made bread before (or anything including yeast aside from this Gooey Butter Cake), I was positively thrilled with the final result!
I’ve always been desperately afraid of making bread because I thought it seemed far too complicated and I was sure that I would screw it up, but after making these, I am convinced that it is far easier than I ever imagined!
These rolls were, in my opinion (and Mikey’s), perfect. They were pillowy-soft, slightly sweet, and gorgeously golden-brown. After my success with these rolls, I can’t wait to try my hand at all sorts of bread recipes. On my immediate list is: cinnamon rolls, pizza dough, and Christmas Stollen.
Though this dough requires quite a bit of babysitting (as you have to pretty much be around to watch it for 4 hours after making it), it is worth all the effort!
- 1/2 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
- 1/2 cup warm whole milk (110-115 degrees)
- 2 tbsp active dry yeast
- 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp salt
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup + 2tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs beaten with 2 tsp water, for glaze
- Combine the water and milk in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Sprinkle the yeast over and stir to fully moisten. Let stand for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add in the flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Blend at medium-low speed for 1-2 minutes, until shaggy lumps form (though the term “shaggy lumps” confused me at first, I knew exactly what it meant when it happened and hopefully you will too).
- Add in the eggs one at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in sugar. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the dough is smooth, about 3 minutes.
- Reduce the speed to low and add in the butter one tablespoon at a time, blending after each tablespoon (this process may take a while).
- Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and climbs the paddle, 8 to 9 minutes.
- Butter a large bowl. Scrape the dough into the bowl and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size (I put mine by the fireplace!).
- Gently deflate the dough by lifting around the edges and letting the dough fall back into the bowl.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator, deflating the dough the same way every 30 minutes until t he dough has stopped rising, an hour and a half to two hours. Chill overnight.
- When ready to bake, butter 24 standard muffin cups. Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces and cut each piece into thirds. Roll each small piece into a ball. Place 3 balls in each muffin cup. Cover the muffin tins with waxed paper and place in a warm area to rise for 50-60 minutes until almost doubled.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush the top of each roll with the egg glaze, being careful not to let the glaze drip down between the dough and pan.
- Bake the rolls until golden, about 20-25 minutes. Cool rolls for 10 minutes before serving.
When do you add the sugar?
Rachael replied: — August 17th, 2011 @ 8:59 pm
Well, you are completely right. I left that out. I've revised the recipe.