Sourdough Brioche Sandwich Bread
2551kcal
Ingredients
The Sweet Stiff Sourdough Starter (Night Before)
- 20 g Sourdough starter culture
- 40 g Water
- 80 g Bread flour
- 3 g Sugar
The Heavy Rich Enriched Dough
- 300 g Bread flour (100%)
- 150 g Milk (50%)
- 2 Large eggs
- 70 g Sugar (23%)
- 100 g Prepared mature sweet stiff starter (33% - From the stage above)
- 6 g Salt (2%)
- 90 g Unsalted butter (30% - Completely softened to room temperature)
- 0.5 g Dry instant yeast (Optional helper pinch to fully eliminate sour tang)
- Zest of 1 orange (Optional, added for a beautiful aroma enhancement)
Equipment
- Stand Mixer (Fitted with a heavy dough hook—essential for fat emulsion)
- Standard Loaf Pan
- Kitchen Scale & Digital Thermometer
Method
Day 1 – Stiff Starter Activation
- 10:00 PM: In a clean glass jar, dissolve the 3g of sugar and 20g of liquid starter into 40g of water. Whisk thoroughly, then stir in the 80g of bread flour.
- Knead briefly inside the jar into a firm, tight ball. Cover loosely and let it ferment at room temperature 74–78°F (23–26°C) overnight for 8 to 10 hours until it completely triples in volume.
Day 2 – The Enriched Autolyse, Popping-Knead, and Bulk Proof
- 8:00 AM – The Autolyse: In your stand mixer bowl, combine the 150g of milk, 70g of sugar, 2 large eggs, 100g of your active sweet stiff starter, and the optional 0.5g of dry yeast. Whisk together cleanly, then dump all 300g of bread flour on top. Mix until a rough mass forms with no dry spots, cover, and let autolyse for 1 hour.
- 9:00 AM: Attach your dough hook attachment. Mix the dough on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes (or on a KitchenAid mixer on speed 3 for 3 to 4 minutes) until cohesive. Add the 6g of salt and continue mixing for 2 minutes—the dough ball will look noticeably stiff.
- The Emulsified Butter Knead: Keep the mixer running on high speed and begin adding your 90g of soft room-temperature butter one tablespoon at a time. Knead continuously for 10 to 15 minutes. The dough will steadily absorb the fat, pull cleanly away from the bowl walls, and make distinctive "popping" sounds against the steel.
- Critical Dough Temp Monitor: Keep a close eye on the core temperature using a thermometer; the high friction must never drive the dough past 82°F (28°C), or your gluten structure will collapse. If it runs hot, wrap a cold pack around the bowl bases.
- Cover the bowl and let bulk ferment for 3 to 4 hours at a warm 76–80°F (24–28°C). Perform 2 separate rounds of structural stretch-and-folds during this window until the dough turns light, glossy, and puffy.
- 1:00 PM – Cold Fridge Firming Rest: Transfer the covered dough directly into your refrigerator to cold-ferment for 8 to 9 hours. Chilling the dough solidifies the heavy butter fats, making it completely effortless to shape later without turning into a sticky mess.
Tension Shaping & Slow Overnight Rise
- 10:00 PM – Final Pan Shaping: Pull your chilled dough out of the fridge. Line the bottom of your loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Turn the dough out onto a clean workspace and press it out gently into a rectangle. Roll it up away from you into a tight, pressurized cylinder.
- Place the cylinder seam-side down into your pan. Cover loosely and let proof on your counter overnight for 8 to 9 hours at a stable 70–72°F (20–22°C) until it completely doubles in size and crowds the pan.
Day 3 – Fluffy Golden Morning Bake
- Next Morning: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Dust the top crown of your puffed brioche loaf lightly with flour (or brush with a clean egg wash for a glossy finish).
- Slide the pan onto the middle rack and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top turns a uniform, gorgeous golden brown. Let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing!
Nutrition
Calories2551kcalCarbohydrates360gProtein67gFat93gSaturated Fat53gPolyunsaturated Fat7gMonounsaturated Fat24gTrans Fat3gCholesterol548mgSodium625mgPotassium842mgFiber9gSugar82gVitamin A2983IUVitamin C0.2mgCalcium324mgIron5mg
Notes
- Why the 82°F Temperature Limit is Crucial: Enriched doughs contain a massive fat load (30% butter in this formula). If your stand mixer runs on high speed for too long and the friction heats the dough past 82°F (28°C), the butter will melt completely out of the protein matrix. This breaks the emulsion, causing the dough to turn into a greasy, oily mess that cannot hold a rise. If your kitchen is warm, use cold milk straight from the fridge to counteract the heat.
- The Yeast Accelerator Advantage: Including a tiny 0.5g pinch of instant yeast works alongside your sourdough starter to balance the flavors. Brioche features a sweet, buttery, and milky flavor profile. The slight boost from the yeast shortens the fermentation windows just enough to prevent the dough from developing a sharp, tangy sourness.
- Shaping Chilled vs. Warm Dough: Never try to shape an enriched brioche dough while it is still warm from bulk fermentation. The soft butter will stick to your hands and counter, tempting you to throw in excess raw flour which ruins the hydration balance. The 8-hour cold fridge rest in step 8 firms up the fats perfectly, giving you a smooth, non-sticky dough that rolls beautifully.
- Preventing post-bake deflation: If your baked brioche sinks or deflates slightly along the side walls as it cools on your counter, it means the heavy interior starches didn't bake through entirely. Next time, lengthen your final pan proof by 30 minutes, or leave the loaf inside the hot 375°F oven for an additional 3 to 5 minutes to fully set the structural walls.