I bake this on a quiet morning and the kitchen smells warm and sweet. This easy french bread recipe gives a soft brioche loaf with a tender pull and a golden top. I whisk, I knead, I wait, and the dough rises like a small promise on the counter. We use the ideas behind Brioche Bread and turn them into a calm plan. The method reads like a clear Bread Dough Recipe. We start with milk and yeast, then eggs and flour, then butter that melts into the mix. It tastes like comfort and it slices clean for toast or for a thick sandwich. I like a simple pan and I often reach for cast iron so it fits with Cast Iron Bread Recipes. You can make Bread From Scratch with gear you already have. If you keep buttermilk on hand, swap it into the mix since I love Buttermilk Recipes for a tender crumb. We work with patience and light hands and we get a loaf that stays soft, keeps well, and turns into the best French toast the next day.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Soft Brioche Loaf Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Soft Brioche Loaf
- 4) How to Make Soft Brioche Loaf
- 5) Tips for Making Soft Brioche Loaf
- 6) Making Soft Brioche Loaf Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Soft Brioche Loaf
- 8) Try these Bread next
- 9) Soft Brioche Loaf
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
I bake with calm hands and a clear plan. The loaf rises with a sweet smell and a tender crumb. The crust shines from a light egg wash. We slice neat pieces that toast well and hold butter. Camila from Camila Cooks shares this method with you and me so we can bake with ease and joy at home.
The dough starts soft and turns springy with steady kneading. Warm milk wakes the yeast. Eggs and butter bring rich flavor. The pan fits in any oven and a simple shape keeps things friendly for a new baker. This suits a busy day and a quiet one too.
Use this loaf for toast in the morning or for a small sandwich with jam or cheese at lunch. Day two makes the best French toast. We get homemade bread that feels special and still fits daily life.
2) Easy Soft Brioche Loaf Recipe
I reach for an easy french bread recipe when the kitchen feels slow and kind. This easy french bread recipe meets me where I stand with warm milk and soft butter and a bowl that sits steady on the counter. I write and test for Camila Cooks and I make sure you can follow every step with no stress at all.
The loaf leans rich like brioche and still feels light. I whisk milk with yeast. I add eggs and sugar and flour. The dough clings then lets go then rests. I brush a soft shine on top. The house smells like a bakery and my coffee tastes better next to a warm slice.
This stays in my book as a go to for homemade bread. Friends ask for the recipe and I send them here at once to Camila at Camila Cooks. We bake the soft loaf again for weekend brunch and for the best bread for French toast on Sunday.
3) Ingredients for Soft Brioche Loaf
Warm whole milk Brings gentle heat that wakes the yeast and keeps the crumb tender and light in every bite.
Active dry yeast Lifts the dough so it rises tall in the pan and gives a soft pull when you tear a slice.
Granulated sugar Feeds the yeast and adds a hint of sweetness that plays well with butter and jam.
Fine sea salt Balances the sweetness and sharpens the flavor so the loaf tastes full and round.
Large eggs Add color and richness that mark a true brioche and help the crumb stay soft.
All purpose flour Gives structure that holds shape and keeps slices even for toast and for a sandwich.
Unsalted butter very soft Works into the dough and makes each cell tender so the loaf feels plush.
Egg wash with a splash of milk Paints a gentle gloss that bakes to a golden top that looks bakery ready.
4) How to Make Soft Brioche Loaf
Step one Warm the milk until it feels like a warm bath to a fingertip. Sprinkle in yeast and a pinch of sugar. Wait until a light foam sits on top.
Step two In a bowl add flour and sugar and salt. Pour in the milk mix and the eggs. Stir with a dough hook or a sturdy spoon until a shaggy mass forms.
Step three Knead until the dough looks smooth and feels slightly sticky. Add soft butter in small pieces. Keep kneading until it turns glossy and pulls from the bowl. This reads like a simple French bread recipe yet the crumb stays rich.
Step four Set the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let it rise in a warm place until puffy. Chill for a short rest so shaping stays neat and clean.
Step five Shape a soft log or tuck three short ropes side by side in the pan. Brush with egg wash. Let it rise again until it crowns just over the rim.
Step six Bake at three hundred fifty F until deep golden and the center reads one hundred ninety F. Cool and slice. This feels like French bread made easy for any home oven.
5) Tips for Making Soft Brioche Loaf
Use warm milk not hot milk. Hot milk can make yeast quit. Warm milk helps it thrive and gives a soft rise. A simple French bread recipe learns this rule on day one and it serves you here as well.
Knead until the dough clears the bowl sides. If it clings hard sprinkle a spoon of flour and keep going. If it feels stiff rub in a small piece of butter. The goal is smooth and springy with a light stick.
For a soft loaf set the pan in the middle of the oven. If the top browns too fast tent with foil near the end. Save a few slices for the best bread for French toast on day two. That trick turns breakfast into a small party.
6) Making Soft Brioche Loaf Ahead of Time
Mix and knead then let the dough rise until puffy. Tuck it in the fridge for a slow rest. This pause fits a busy day and builds flavor with little work. I use this plan when guests visit and it never fails.
Shape the cold dough and set it in the pan. Give it time on the counter until it crowns. Brush with egg wash and bake. The crumb stays tender and the schedule stays friendly. This feels like an easy recipe for French bread yet richer.
Freeze a baked loaf once cool. Wrap it tight. Thaw on the counter and warm in a low oven. Slices taste fresh and the kitchen smells good again. This helps a beginner friendly bread dough fit real life.
7) Storing Leftover Soft Brioche Loaf
Cool the loaf until just warm. Slip it into a bag that seals and press out extra air. Set it at room temp for two days. The crumb stays soft and the top keeps its shine.
For longer keeping slice the loaf. Freeze slices in a flat stack with paper between each one. Toast from frozen for quick breakfast. This reads like French bread made easy for busy mornings.
Leftover ideas feel endless. Make small sandwiches with cheese or jam. Cube and toast for croutons. Blend into crumbs for meatballs. Homemade bread never goes to waste in my house.
8) Try these Bread next
9) Soft Brioche Loaf
Soft Brioche Loaf easy french bread recipe
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 packet active dry yeast 2 1/4 teaspoons
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 cup warm whole milk
- 3 large eggs room temp
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter very soft
For Egg Wash
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Warm the milk until it feels like a warm bath to your finger.
- Whisk in the yeast and a pinch of sugar and let it sit until foamy.
- In a mixer bowl add flour sugar and salt. Pour in the milk mix and the eggs. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead with the dough hook until smooth and slightly tacky. Add the soft butter in small pieces and keep mixing until the dough pulls from the bowl.
First Rise and Chill
- Shape the dough into a ball and set it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise until puffy about 60 to 90 minutes.
- Chill the bowl for 45 to 60 minutes so the butter sets and shaping stays neat.
Shape and Second Rise
- Grease a 9 by 5 pan. Turn the dough out and divide into 3 even ropes then tuck them into the pan side by side. You can braid if you like.
- Cover and let rise until the dough crowns about one inch over the rim.
Bake
- Heat the oven to 350 F. Brush the top with egg wash.
- Bake 28 to 35 minutes until deep golden and the center reaches 190 F.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then finish on a rack. Slice when barely warm.
10) Nutrition
A slice brings about two hundred thirty calories with a soft balance of carbs and fat and protein. The sugar lands near six grams and salt near two hundred ten milligrams. The crumb stays light and the bite feels rich from butter.
One slice gives about five grams of protein. Fat lands near eight grams with around five grams saturated. Carbs rise to the mid thirties with a small gram of fiber. This makes a calm base for breakfast or a snack.
For a lighter take swap two cups of bread flour for white whole wheat. Use a touch less sugar. The loaf stays soft and still toasts well. I share these small tweaks on Camila Cooks so we can bake with ease together.
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