Enriched Dough
This is enriched dough. The defining move is fat & more fat than a lean bread, added in a way the gluten can absorb without breaking down. Brioche is the most famous name for this style, and this recipe is built on that principle.
This bread was born from a mistake. A batch of croissant dough that refused to laminate but had spectacular rise. Instead of layers, the butter melted into the crumb and created something rich, tender, and impossible to stop eating. That accident became this recipe.
Traditional brioche uses eggs for structure and richness. This version skips the eggs entirely and leans on butter at 46% of the flour weight. That is a lot of butter. The result is a bread that eats like brioche but handles more like a standard enriched dough. No eggs means no protein coagulation to worry about, which makes the bake more forgiving.
The principle is simple: butter carries flavor better than any other fat. When you load a dough with this much butter, every bite delivers. Use water or a 50/50 blend of water and scalded milk for the liquid. The bread works either way, and you can decide which version you prefer.
| Ingredient | Grams | Baker's % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water (or 50/50 water & scalded milk) | 614 | 69.00% | |
| Butter in dough | 57 | 6.00% | |
| Instant Yeast | 20 | 2.00% | |
| Salt | 17 | 2.00% | |
| Honey | 29 | 3.00% | |
| Butter added in stages | 411 | 46.00% | |
| Flour | 894 | 100.00% | |
| Total | 2,041 | 228.00% |
Work backward from the time you want to serve. Set your oven to 350°F with the rack in the center position. The extra butter slows fermentation, so plan for a longer proof. The fridge will be your friend with this dough.
Line your loaf pan with parchment paper. The high butter content means the bread releases well, but parchment makes cleanup easier and gives you a handle for lifting.
Combine the water, the 57g of butter (melted), honey, and yeast in your mixing bowl. The large butter addition (411g) comes later, in stages, after the dough forms.
Add the flour and salt. Mix on low until a rough dough forms. Increase to medium speed. Add the remaining 411g of room-temperature butter in 4 or 5 additions, waiting until each piece disappears before adding the next. Mix for 10 to 12 minutes total. The dough will look like it falls apart when you add the butter. It will come back together.
Add the flour and salt. Mix until no dry patches remain. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Cold dough absorbs butter evenly. Cut the 411g of butter into small cubes and press them into the dough, folding and pressing until fully incorporated. This takes patience.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat into a rough rectangle as wide as your loaf pan. Fold the top third down, fold the bottom third up, then roll toward you into a tight log. Place seam-side down in the parchment-lined pan.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Proof at room temperature until the dough rises 1 inch above the rim of the pan — about 90 minutes to 2 hours. The butter slows the yeast, so this takes longer than plain white bread.
Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes, then rotate and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes. The crust should reach a deep golden brown. The center should read 190°F to 200°F. Enriched doughs finish at a lower temperature than lean ones.
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out by the parchment and cool on a wire rack for 2 hours minimum. The butter needs time to set or the crumb will be greasy when you slice.
Slide the cooled loaf into a large plastic bag and seal it. It keeps at room temperature for 4 to 5 days. The high butter content acts as a natural preservative and keeps the crumb soft. This bread also freezes well — wrap tightly in plastic and freeze for up to a month.