Alice's Braided Brioche
Ingredients :
500 g of flour
25 cl of milk
2 eggs (one for the preparation and one for the egg wash)
20g of baker's yeast (1 sachet)
70g of butter at room temperature
40g of Natsuc sugar
2 teaspoons of salt
Orange blossom
Preparation :
Sift the flour into a bowl, add the salt and sugar, the egg, the milk and the crumbled yeast.
Knead the dough until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Then add a little orange blossom water and the room-temperature butter, cut into cubes. Knead again to incorporate the butter, but not for too long so as not to overheat the dough.
Let the brioche dough rest for 1 hour at room temperature; it should double in volume. Deflate the dough to release the air and let it rest again, this time in a cool place (such as the refrigerator) overnight (or 8-10 hours). This resting time is necessary for the dough to develop strength.
Divide the dough into 3 portions and let them rest for 15 minutes at room temperature. Then shape each portion into a rope, about 60-70 cm long. Braid the 3 ropes together and place the brioche on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Let the brioche rest for 1 to 1.5 hours at room temperature, then brush it with beaten egg.
Preheat the oven to 170-175°C (gas mark 5-6) and bake the brioche for 25 to 30 minutes.