It sounds almost too easy, but the delicious truth is….it really works!
Klik hier voor de Nederlandse versie
I tried several version of this recipe, each with just tiny changes because the first version I tried already turned out quite perfect. Except for one thing: The crumb needed just a little bit of help to get it from a slightly cake-like stage to something a bit more cohesive. So, just before I pop the dough in the fridge for a well deserved 48 hours rest, I give it one or two stretch & folds.
I also tried versions with slightly more (5ml) and slightly less water. The version you find on this page is the recipe that works best for me. I am very pleased with the result.
Also check out the short video we made of the making and baking of the brioche.
| Ingredients for the No Knead Brioche | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| makes 1 Brioche loaf | ||||
| 250 | g | French Type 55 flour / all purpose flour / plain flour | ||
| 100 | g | fresh dairy butter, melted | ||
| 70 | g | water at room temperature | ||
| 110 | g | organic eggs (1 medium egg is about 55g) | ||
| 50 | g | runny honey / 2.5 tablespoons (flower /acacia) | ||
| 5.5 | g | (sea) salt | ||
| 3 | g | instant yeast | ||
Making the Brioche
In a bowl, combine eggs, honey water, salt and melted butter and whisk, somewhat vigorously, for about 30 seconds. We do this with a Danish dough whisk. Add the instant yeast to the flour and sift it into the mixture. Again, with enthusiasm, whisk for 30 seconds until your dough looks smooth and homogeneous. Cover your bowl and let the dough rest for two hours at room temperature.
Take the dough out of the bowl and onto a floured work surface and do one or two stretch and folds (full fold ones, left over right, right over left, bottom over top, top over bottom; see our bread movies to observe this technique if you are not familiar with it). If your dough is very ‘elastic’ and cooperative, do a few, if it starts to resist you can just stop.
Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with clingfilm and take it to the fridge where it will stay for 24 to 48 hours. I have made several versions using both dough that had rested 24 hours and dough that was allowed to rest for 48 hours and I can say the results are both fine, not that big of a difference. So you can be a bit flexible when it comes to that.
Some people leave it even longer. I have not tried that, but I cannot see it would get any better, maybe it would even dry out. I have read about people leaving it in the fridge up to 5 days. All I can say is that, with the fine results I got within the 24 to 48 hours range I saw no need to take it any further.
Take the dough out of the fridge. Now it is time to shape. You can choose any shape you want of course but this is how I do it most of the time. Divide the dough into 4 or 6 equal pieces and shape them into balls (shaping quickly while the dough is still very cold from the fridge goes best). Place the balls two by two in a baking tin, well buttered or lined with baking paper.
Cover and leave to proof for 2 to 3 hours, depending on the temperature of the dough and of the room. You might also want to check out our tips on dough temperature to help you improve your baking results.
It is best to cover the brioche with something that does not stick to the dough or weighs it down. That is why I just turn my mixing bowl upside down and use that as a cover. It works really well.
Alternatively you can brush it with some beaten egg (with a splash of water added to make it easier to brush on) just after shaping. Give it a thin layer and repeat with another thin layer just before baking, same as with making croissants.
Preheat your oven at 190ºC / 375ºF.
Brush the brioche with some egg wash before you put it in the oven, brush it, with some melted butter directly after baking.
Bake at 190ºC / 375ºF for about 10 minutes, then turn down the thermostat to 160ºC / 320ºF and bake for another 15 minutes. If the top browns too quickly or gets too dark, cover it with some aluminum foil to protect it.
After taking it out of the oven, I find it is best to leave it for a few minutes before turning it out of its tin on a cooling rack. Then leave to cool completely before slicing it. You could slice it while warm, but the crumb needs to set a little bit and slicing it too soon could press it together and make it sort of sticky. If you cannot wait please slice with a very sharp knife that easily cuts the slices without having to put too much pressure on it.
The brioche keeps very well for a few days (in container or bag) and even after that it can be given some oomph by toasting it lightly. Delicious! You can also reheat them in your oven, preheated at 170ºC / 340ºF until the outside is crisp, about 7 minutes should do the trick.
With this same recipe you can also make ‘petites brioches’. Just divide the dough in 6 equal parts, shape and leave to proof in individual, well greased tins of choice. The proofing should take a little less time (something like half an hour less), depending on the temperature of the dough and surroundings of course.
Because of the smaller sizes, the baking also goes quicker. Bake at 190ºC / 375ºF for about 7 minutes, then turn down the thermostat to 160ºC / 320ºF and bake for another 8 minutes. If the top browns too quickly or gets too dark, cover it with some aluminum foil to protect it.
Let us know what you think of the recipe and how your (no knead) brioche turns out or how it compares to your more authentic brioche recipe.
BTW The traditional brioche has a fluted bottom and a topknot and is made in a special mold. As this dough is wetter and a bit harder to shape I am just pleased to shape it quickly into balls, not fumbling with it too much. This way the shaping is done while the dough is still cold from the fridge and the warmth of your hands has not yet been given the chance to make it extra sticky.
Thuy Nguyen says
Hi Ed and Marieke,
Could you advise the measurement of your used baking tin to fit 4 small pieces of dough please?
Thanks very much & best,
Thuy
Weekend Bakers says
Hello Thuy,
Sorry for the late reply and not not mentioning the measurements of the tin we used. It is roughly 18 x 11 x 6 cm.
Hope you like the recipe. Like we say in the recipe, this dough is very sticky so you need to make extra sure in your case it is very cold when you shape it and maybe make it slightly less sticky by using a bit less liquid. A bit of experience with the recipe will teach you what works best for you hopefully.
Good luck with it and greetings,
Marieke
Marlynn says
what is that acacia flower thing?
Weekend Bakers says
It refers to the type of honey we use. Just general flower honey (made with all kinds of honey of different flowers) or pure acacia honey (which has a very mild, sweet, floral flavor and is our favorite honey for many things, also because it is very slow to crystallize).
Both are excellent for this recipe.
Sean says
I took the recipe straight from the latest ATK cookbook (page 676)
I substituted the sugar for honey (using just two-thirds the amount), and took away 15ml of water to compensate for the moisture in the honey.
Yeah, I know, you’re gonna say “that’s where you went wrong.” No. I didn’t. You’re just looking for a reason to blame it on. When I combined the egg mixture into the flour, it was a batter, not a dough. It was like a pancake batter. I ended up adding more flour until it finally became a dough…about 2 cups more flour.
Weekend Bakers says
Very sorry to hear this Sean, but thank you for your honest feedback.
Eva says
I wish you could publish a recipe for brioche buns for hamburger.
Thank you and more power.
Weekend Bakers says
Thank you Eva,
It is an excellent idea, the only challenge is time…so many ideas and not enough of it to execute all our plans, but we will keep it in mind.
Lorna Watters says
What a long process that was to make Brioche. The mixture was very sloppy and after being in the fridge 24 hrs it did firm up a little. The rising bit took over 4hrs before it even looked decent enough to bake. Once baked and then cut into the bread was very doughy in the centre. Very disappointed, won’t be trying that recipe again.
Weekend Bakers says
So sorry to hear this. We have had so many enthusiastic comments for this recipe. From what we read, we think with just a bit less moisture (the flour you use seems to absorb less than ours) and the right proofing temperature (see our tips: www.weekendbakery.com/posts…mperature/) and maybe a tweak to baking times and temperature for your oven, you could get a good results.
We can also recommend our other brioche recipe with kneading, but again, like with any recipe you try for the first time, it almost always needs a few goes and some adjustments for your ingredients, equipment and environment: www.weekendbakery.com/posts…at-result/
Happy baking!
Susan says
Happy New Year! I looked online today to find an easy brioche recipe as we had some last night to ring in the new year. I was pleasantly surprised to find such an easy recipe. I was also surprised to see that you are Dutch as one of my goals for the new year is to start learning to speak Dutch. It looks as though you have authentic Dutch recipes that we can also try which will be fun. Thanks for sharing.
Weekend Bakers says
Thank you Susan, so lovely to read about your plans. Great too you can find inspiration in our recipes and maybe even try to understand some of our Dutch version recipes?! (compare with the English version like with the brioche for instance: www.weekendbakery.com/posts…er-kneden/)
I (Marieke) try to learn a bit of Norwegian this way myself, by reading recipes and supermarket brochures and children’s TV programs for instance. Lots of fun this way.
We wensen je veel plezier met bakken en het leren van de Nederlandse taal in het nieuwe jaar!
Hartelijke groet,
Marieke en Ed
Magda says
Hello Marieke,
Love this brioche. Seems to me , that my does not rise so high. It is hard to judge from photo. First dough — pre ferment, is it suppose to rise high?
Thank you,
Magda.
Weekend Bakers says
Hello Magda,
Maybe you have seen the video and can judge what to look out for. See www.weekendbakery.com/posts…d-brioche/
The final proof is where you get the height and is the most important one. The temperature of the dough is key, because if it stays too cold it can take forever to get up to speed. Also see our tips in the article.
Mark says
Many thanks for yet another great recipe. I made this loaf last week (first brioche ever) and couldn’t believe how straightforward it was. Great taste and lovely toasted the next day. I’ll definitely be making this again (and again….).
Thanks, once again.
Mark
Weekend Bakers says
Thanks Mark,
This is such a favorite of ours too. Worth it for the smell of the dough and bake alone 🙂
Enjoy the baking!
Ed & Marieke
Ngu Tran says
Thank you for the wonderful recipe. I was successful at the first try. I actually did an extra set of stretch and fold during 24 hours when the dough was in the refrigerator. The outcome was great, beyond my expectation. The breads were surprisingly softer and fluffier than the ones I made before using traditional kneading method. Now, I’m thinking about letting my Kitchen Aid stand mixer retire.
Weekend Bakers says
Hi Ngu Tran,
Thank you so much for your excellent feedback. But we are sure you can use your mixer for some other tasks, like egg white beating for instance (although I always use a hand mixer for that, because it is quicker and I can see exactly what’s going on). From experience we do know the KitchenAid is great at beating this special and fun dough for focaccia: www.weekendbakery.com/posts…-focaccia/
Maybe you will like it too and it will definitely give your mixer something to do 🙂
Greetings from Holland,
Marieke
Chris says
First of all, thanks for sharing. As other comments stated I used your recipe and ended up at an almost runny dough (like pancake dough). I often bake 80% hydration breads, I am used to sticky dough. BUT this dough was impossible to process and or fold, no structure at all.
I added some more flour maybe 50g (maybe the eggs were a little bit too big?)?
Regarding the instant yeast problem. If you run it at the lower yeast amount spectrum (as I always do) it takes ages to proof :)… My proofing took approx. 4 hours. However the ‘denting test’ failed due to the sticky dough 🙂
But the smell while baking the brioche is incredible… I think the honey makes the extra kick (as a beekeeper I use my own honey). No way that I substitute with sugar or agave juice (which has a very strange taste).
Chris
Weekend Bakers says
Hi Chris,
Thank you for your feedback. Both the fridge and the activity of your yeast play a role in the proofing process. If things take too long you can adjust by more proofing at room temperature and /or using more yeast. And yes, the liquid of the eggs, it is also a good idea to weigh the eggs, because the liquid should be limited to around 110 grams.
Wonderful to be able to use your own honey! This makes the brioche extra special. Hope you will give it another try, maybe with a few tweaks and adaptations, based on your first experience.
Happy brioche baking and bee keeping!
Marieke
P Farley says
I have tried this twice now and it’s just not working. The dough rises very little, a bit more in the fridge and then hardly after out of the fridge. The second time I put the dshaped dough finally in a very warm place because at room temperature nothing happened. The result is a dry.’bread’ which is quite crumbly. I have to use dry instant yeast because I can’t get fresh yeast here. I make other bread with this yeast however and that works perfectly fine.
Weekend Bakers says
Hello,
Sorry to hear about your results. We also use instant yeast for this recipe, which works fine for us, but because of the high sugar content in this recipe (compared to making bread without the sugar) the yeast has more of a challenge to get going. Maybe the yeast you use, for this recipe, has a bit of an extra challenge, because it is closer to the sell by date or has been a bit too warm, so it cannot perform optimally. So you could try using a new packet from the store with a ‘far away’ sell by date. Or you can look for instant yeast (but probably also harder to come by too) that is used especially for sweet dough or sugar dough (one brand we know is Bruggeman instant brown label). We have never used it, because it was not necessary, but we know from other bakers they get good results.
Hope this info will help you.
Greetings,
Marieke & Ed
Bill says
Great site, I am enjoying the technical information and recipes. I was thinking of using this recipe to make hamburger buns for pulled pork sandwiches, does this recipe have good wet strength for a saucy sandwich?
thank you for your dedication and time
Bill
Weekend Bakers says
Hello Bill,
We do not use this recipe for buns, we are not sure if it is up to the task. We have used this other brioche recipe successfully though (it is firmer, less moisture, sugar and butter): www.weekendbakery.com/posts…at-result/
We quickly grill each half of the bun on the BBQ, which gives it some added strength and crisp. If you do try the no knead version with hamburger or pulled pork, we would love to hear your verdict.
Happy bun baking and bbq!
Patrick Derks says
Hi Ed & Marieke
Ik heb dit recept al een aantal keren gemaakt, top!
Ik wil graag eens brioche burgerbuns maken.
Dit recept is te rijk aan boter en ei om er buns van te maken denk ik?
Zou ik het recept kunnen aanpassen?
ZoJa, hebben jullie tips hiervoor of richtlijnen waar ik aan moet denken.
Alvast bedankt!
Patrick
Weekend Bakers says
Hi Patrick,
We hebben zelf ook geen buns met dit recept gemaakt. Wel met een ander recept dat inderdaad naar verhouding minder boter en suiker bevat (en dat kun je natuurlijk ook nog wat aanpassen) Je vindt het hier: www.weekendbakery.com/posts…at-result/ (wel in het Engels). Wij vonden de combinatie van een, relatief eenvoudige, zelfgemaakte burger van de bbq en dat toch zoetige broodje erg geslaagd.
Veel plezier ermee!
newbaker says
I know it’s not “traditional” but can you substitute milk for the water?
Weekend Bakers says
Yes, you can. You would normally use a bit more milk (because of the milk solids) but in this case I would keep it also at around 70 grams of milk (the dough is wet enough) if you want to give it a try.
newbaker says
amazing. Thank you!!!
dede says
Thank you for such a great recipe. I have made the Brioche about 4 times and it turns out really well every time.
I substituted 50g sugar for the honey and add 10g extra of water.
Freezes really well.
Weekend Bakers says
Thanks for the feedback Dede, glad it turned out great, also with the substitution.
Ricardo says
Very nice recipe, thanks for that!
I live in a hotter tropical area (right now my kitchen is at 26C and 80% humidity). In that case should I still keep the ingredient quantities like you say in your recipe, or should I reduce a bit the water or other ingredients?
I just mixed a batch of dough following your exact recipe, and let it sit for the 2hrs specified, then when streching and folding I notice the dough was very moist. Barely able to stretch and fold it. Still sticking to the fingers and scraper, no matter how carefully I was handling it.
Here an URL of an image of the dough ready to go to the fridge for its 24hs rest. Will that dough still be OK to bake as it is very humid
picpaste.com/pics/…659927.jpg
Weekend Bakers says
Hi Ricardo,
That does look good, you do not have to worry, it is very sticky, but after it has been in the fridge and still cold with the butter solidified, it will be easier to handle and shape. As each flour is different with different absorption, it could of course be that your dough is just a little bit wetter and could do with a bit less water. If you try the recipe a few times you will figure out your ideal version under your conditions I’m sure.
Good luck with it and happy brioche baking!
Marieke
Kay says
The “runny honey” notation gave me pause. Would agave nectar provide the same result? I hesitate because I know there’s a well-orchestrated chemical reaction to this whole process that I really don’t want to screw up my first time out of the gate. Would greatly appreciate any info you could provide.
Weekend Bakers says
Hello Kay,
We do not have any experience with agave nectar for this recipe. We know agave is higher in fructose and therefor will be sweeter than honey and you should take this into account. It could also be that the consistency is a bit thinner and that this will make a difference to the end result. Could be there might be other small adjustments needed like time and temperature that need to be tweaked a bit, so take that into account. If you do try it, we would love to hear about your result!
Happy baking,
Marieke & Ed
Sara Perry says
I find your explanation fantastic. My teacher expert chef game your address. I try the croissant with good result.
By the way I’m a vegetarian, not using eggs, but having all the dairy. Can you give me a recipe of brioche without eggs?
Thank you so much.
Sara Perry
Tatiana says
I am going to try this. What can use instead of runny honey? I have lots of honey, but it is very thick. Can I dilute it? Or use maple syrup or just sugar instead? Thanks!
HB says
Hi, really hoping to make this but wondered if it could be made into 6 little sub rolls – the kind you get studded with chocolate pieces or sultanas? If so, what sort of baking time would you recommend?
HB says
Ok, so numpty here should have read the recipe through in its totality! Do I shape into subs then bake according to the instructions for the mini ones above? Does it matter they will not be in a mould? Also, if adding dried fruits, when would you suggest adding them – in the folding prior to proving in the fridge or during shaping? Thanks!
Weekend Bakers says
Hi, You do need the moulds. This is a wet dough with lots of butter. Without the moulds you probably end up with a flat mini sub roll. I should add your sultanas etc. in the folding process. Happy baking!
Alex Sumner says
Hi there. I am keen to make the no knead brioche (looks fab) but wonder, you mention french type white flour/plain flour/all purpose flour but can I use strong white bread flour instead or should I do as suggested and buy some french/plain/all purpose to make this super looking bread? Would appreciate help. Many thanks
Weekend Bakers says
Hi Alex, no problem. This recipe is very forgiving because you use a bread tin to prove the dough in. Give it a go with your flour and perhaps give it also a go with a 50/50 mix of strong flour and all purpose flour. Happy baking!
Lissa Mattson says
Do you have any idea where the pans you used can be purchased for the brioche ? I live in the US. Thanks
Leslie Robbins says
I just popped this brioche dough in the refrigerator to be ready to bake on Christmas morning. I’ve made this recipe many times and it is simply luscious. It was my husband’s one request for Christmas brunch! Merry Christmas to you and thanks for all the wonderful recipes!
Beastie says
Oh, impressive 🙂 going to try out
Mrs Karen Aslett says
Dear Ed and Marieke
Made your no knead brioche for the second time,the result was as good as the first time.Such an easy and great recipe, I am
now going to try it as a base for Panettone,more an English type one than an authentic Italian one but still Panettone! It will
interesting to see how it turns out. As I have said before Great website,please keep up the good work
Regards Karen Aslett
Weekend Bakers says
Thanks, we sometimes make the brioche with fruit and nuts as well, like a very rich ‘stollen’ or fruit-and-nut bread. It is lovely!
Afnan says
Hi,
Thank you for this recipe. I tried it yesterday , the texture was amazing but the taste was little salty . Do you think reducing amount of salt and adding more honey will be fine?
Thanks
Weekend Bakers says
Hi, thanks for your comment. It is no problem at all to lower the amount of salt in the recipe. The current amount of salt in the recipe is about 1.5% which is at lower end of the spectrum, most breads are between 1.8% and 2.2%. Perhaps your scale was a little bit off? You can add more honey to some extend, but you may have to keep back some water so your dough will not get too wet. Happy baking!
Mrs Karen Aslett says
Dear Ed and Marieke
Over the last couple of days I have made my first brioche-you’re no knead brioche-OMG! Absolutely gorgeous!
I shall definitely be making it again possibly with lemon zest or chocolate for a change,or just as it is because it’s so Good ! A great
recipe.Last week I done the Tartine style bread, that was very good as well.Thanks for sharing the recipe and thanks for the web-
site- absolutely BRILLIANT
Best regards Karen Aslett
Weekend Bakers says
*blush* thanks !
Tom says
Thanks for the recipe, made this on Friday night very quickly and then baked on Sunday morning with a 3 hour prove due to kitchen temperatures. This is a lovely loaf and I am now going to be looking at adding some sort of chocolate to it, not sure of how yet so doing some research – don’t want to add chocolate chips but do some sort of swirl, maybe anyway. Thanks again for the recipe – you broke it down and made the process very simple. Your website is wonderful !
Weekend Bakers says
Hi Tom,
We would maybe suggest a form where you divide the dough in two, add good quality cacao powder to one part then creatively bring the two together by making two strings that you wrap around each other and maybe coil. (Never tried it btw but the combination brioche and chocolate cannot be bad!)
Happy brioche baking!