How to Make Brioche
To make brioche, mix bread flour, eggs, warm milk, sugar, softened butter, salt, and dried yeast until smooth and elastic. Then, coat the dough in oil, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 hour. Once the dough doubles in size, punch it down and knead it for a few minutes before allowing it to rise again, which may take up to 8 hours. After the dough rises again, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, place the dough into greased baking tins, glaze it with an egg wash, and bake for 30-40 minutes.
Combine all of the ingredients needed to make a dough in a mixing bowl, or the bowl of an electric mixer. Add everything but the egg wash and the optional ingredients -- you don't want to knead your mix-ins to a pulp! Mix slowly for at least 10 minutes or until it is smooth and elasticized. The dough will be very weak and moist. For a brioche, weak and moist is exactly how you want it. This is quite a wet dough, so a mixer makes the job easier; however if mixing by hand , mix everything in the bowl except the butter until it comes together and tip it onto a clean surface. Crumble the butter onto the dough and using the heel of the palm of your hand, gently push the dough and butter together until the dough is formed. Fold the dough like you would make a book fold in puff pastry will give a little extra strength to the dough, but it will remain a very soft dough. Refrain from adding extra flour to make it come together quickly as that will reduce the quality of the loaf - a little light dusting of the surface is ideal. Proof for at least 1 hour covered. To proof a dough basically means to coat the dough in oil, cover it with plastic wrap or a wet cloth and let it sit to rise in a warm place. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface when the dough has doubled in size. Punch holes in it to deflate it, and knead it again for just a minute or two, lifting a section of the dough and then letting it fall back. Add any optional flavourings at this stage. Zest of an orange can add tang to your bread that nicely compliments the sweetness. Cranberries, chocolate chips, or nuts work well, too. A plain brioche is definitely a classic, c'est très Français! Chill the dough, allowing it to rise again. This is the second rising stage, and you want it to reach double in size once more. This may take up to 8 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator. Brioche has been known to rise swiftly or very slowly, depending on the warmth of the dough and freshness and variety of the yeast. To be safe, refrigerate the dough overnight. Use a covered container -- cover with either plastic wrap, a wet cloth, or both. After this stage, you can freeze your dough if you need to use it at a later date. Just wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer. The sooner you use it, the better it'll be. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). If your oven cooks over or under, be sure to adjust -- an overcooked brioche is not a friend to your palette. Place your dough into a greased baking tin. To eliminate any need for clean up, line your tin with wax paper -- it also eliminates sticking and tearing; the dough will be very tender. Due to the high moisture content, its usually best to bake in a tin, such as the traditional brioche mould, although if you bake on a lined biscuit tray, shaping the dough into small balls or a ring (like a very large bagel) is recommended. Glaze with egg wash using a pastry brush. Lightly brush the top of the loaf with the mixture until it's covered in a light film of liquid. This will make your brioche look like restaurant fare --it will be golden and beautiful when it has been baked. If you want a richer egg wash, use heavy cream instead of milk. Bake until golden and cooked through for 30-40 minutes. Check with a skewer like you would test a cake when you think your brioche is finished. Learn how to test completion here: test a cake to see if it is done. The dough will make a dark red-brown crust; if this is undesirable, cover loosely with foil after the crust has formed to prevent it from browning any further. Serve. Brioche is best served warm, or cold with jam or butter, tea, coffee or hot chocolate. But it's still delicious plain and remains fresh for a few days! Keep it in an air-tight container for storage. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).  Butter or grease your muffin tin. If you have a mini brioche tin, even better. Since brioche is so tender, make sure you grease all sides. A baking pan also works; just make sure your rolls have enough room to rise and expand. Use an egg wash to glaze. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the tops of the brioche rolls. Using cream instead of milk will give you a creamier, richer glaze, but milk is just fine. Decorate the tops of your brioches. Using kitchen scissors, cut small snips into the dough to decorate it. This is optional, of course! Standard rolls will be just as tasty. If you'd like, top each roll with a pinch of fleur de sel. Bake for 10-15 minutes. You'll know they're done when the tops spring back and it sounds hollow when you tap it. They should also be deep golden on top and lighter on the bottom. If you're unsure, stick a toothpick in one and if it comes out clean, you're good to go. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Give your rolls 5 or so minutes in the pan to cool down, then remove them onto a wire rack to finish cooling. If you're not going to be eating them right away, store them in an air-tight container. Voilà! Brioche can be complimented well with a cup of cocoa, tea, or coffee and can be enjoyed with just about anything -- but it's truly tasty just by itself. 
Combine all of the ingredients needed to make a dough in a mixing bowl, or the bowl of an electric mixer. Proof for at least 1 hour covered. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface when the dough has doubled in size. Chill the dough, allowing it to rise again. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place your dough into a greased baking tin. Glaze with egg wash using a pastry brush. Bake until golden and cooked through for 30-40 minutes. Serve. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter or grease your muffin tin. Use an egg wash to glaze. Decorate the tops of your brioches. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Voilà! 