Brioche Bread

 Brioche - makes three large loafs

Ingredients
1 kg bread flour 2.2 pounds or 7 1/2 Cups
400 grams sugar (2 cups)
5 eggs
250 ml Warm Whole Milk (1 cup)
3 packages of yeast (7 grams each)
pinch of salt
80 ml sunflower oil (1/3 Cup)
80-100 grams butter (1/2 Cup) - unsalted - Pulgra or President
(Available at Tropicana)
Raisins if desired (rinsed)
1 tsp Vanilla
1 TBS lemon zest
For the greatest success make the dough in a warm room - 82 degrees plus. Have all the ingredients at room temperature and be careful of drafts. Sift the flour twice. Place flour into a large bowl and make a well in it. Reserve 1-2 Cups of the flour for incorporating during the mixing. In a separate bowl begin to proof the yeast by placing yeast in the milk that has been warmed to around 95 degrees. Add 1 TBS of the flour and ½ tsp of sugar to the milk mixture to feed the yeast. Add the remaining sugar and the pinch of salt into the bowl with the flour. Make a well in the dry ingredients. Crack the 5 eggs into the well of the dry ingredients and slowly begin to incorporate the eggs and flour. Work the dough slowly with a wooden spoon in one direction. Add the yeast mixture. Add the vanilla and the lemon zest. Melt the butter and combine with the oil. Add this butter mixture several tablespoons at a time. Knead until small bubbles appear. You will not use all the butter mixture or all the flour but keep for additional steps. The dough is a
soft dough but shouldn’t be too sticky because of the butter. Place in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and then a towel. To hasten the proofing process you can heat the oven to 100 degrees, turn off the oven and place your bowl in the oven. Let double in size, about 1 ½ hours. Butter your loaf pans with the remaining butter and dust with flour. Punch down dough and incorporate more butter. Divide dough into three equal balls. Separate each of those balls into three even
balls by greasing your hands with the butter and continue to work it into the dough. Roll each ball to a 16" x 6" rectangle. Roll the rectangle up longwise. Do this with all three pieces of the dough. Bread in a Dutch braid pattern. Place dough, being careful to tuck under the ends into
the loaf pan. Repeat with other loaves. Drizzle with butter. Let the dough raise (in the oven if preferred) until double in size (takes about 30-40 minutes). Make an egg wash with 2 eggs and a tablespoon of milk. Brush on the raised loaves. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Bake at 325 on lower rack for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.