10:00 PM – Stiff Starter Initialization: In a small glass jar, dissolve the 5g of sugar into 25g of water and whisk cleanly. Stir in your 8g of starter culture and 50g of bread flour. Mix thoroughly and knead into a tight ball. Cover loosely and let it sit at room temperature 74–78°F (23–26°C) overnight for 8 to 10 hours until it more than doubles in volume. This low-acid stiff sweet build keeps the final brioche perfectly creamy and non-sour.

7:00 AM – Hot Yudane Mash: In a small heatproof bowl, add 50g of bread flour. Pour 60g of hot boiling water directly over the flour and stir vigorously until all dry flour is fully hydrated into a thick, sticky paste. Cover and let it rest on your counter to cool down completely to room temperature.

8:00 AM – The Grand Autolyse: In your stand mixer bowl, combine 125g of milk, the cooled Yudane paste, all 60g of your active sweet stiff starter, 1g of dry instant yeast, 1 whole egg, 2 egg yolks, 50g of sugar, and 250g of bread flour. Mix thoroughly with a spoon just until a rich, sticky mass forms. Cover and let it autolyse untouched for 1 full hour to completely hydrate the flour proteins.

9:00 AM – Developing the Core Structure: Attach your dough hook. Mix the autolysed dough on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes (or use a KitchenAid mixer on speed 3 for 3 to 4 minutes) until well incorporated. Add the 6g of fine sea salt and continue mixing for a couple of minutes until the dough pulls together into a cohesive ball.

The Butter Incorporation: Turn your mixer up to medium speed and gradually drop in the 75g of softened unsalted butter piece by piece. Once all the butter is introduced, increase the speed and mix continuously for 10 to 20 minutes. (The Structural Milestone: The rich dough will look loose at first but will eventually pull together cleanly away from the bowl walls while remaining slightly sticky at the very bottom. It must pass a clear, translucent windowpane test).

Bulk Fermentation Folds: Cover the bowl tightly and let it proof for 3 to 4 hours at a warm 76–80°F (24–28°C). During this window, perform 2 gentle rounds of stretches and folds to organize the rich gluten strings. The dough should become noticeably puffy and light.

1:00 PM – Cold Stabilization Retard: Slide the covered proofing bowl directly into your refrigerator to rest and solidify the heavy butter fats until the next morning.

8:00 AM – Portioning & Tight Tension Rolling: Remove the cold, firm brioche dough from the refrigerator. Tip it onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a bench scraper and a kitchen scale, divide the dough cleanly into equal pieces weighing roughly 70g each.

Shaping: Take a portion of dough, fold all its outer edges tightly into the bottom center, and roll it firmly under your cupped palm against the counter in a circular motion to form a smooth, taut ball. Arrange the shaped balls onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. (The Pro Shape Trick: To prevent heavy brioche dough from spreading flat during the rise, place DIY foil ring bands or silicone burger molds around each bun to force a tall, uniform climb).

The Final Ambient Rise: Cover the tray loosely and let the buns proof for 3 to 4 hours at room temperature 70–74°F (20–23°C) until they completely double in volume and feel incredibly airy.

The Glazed Bake: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Gently brush the top crowns of the expanded buns with your prepared egg wash mixture, and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 to 25 minutes until the crowns turn a beautiful, uniform golden light brown color. Transfer to a wire rack to cool down completely.