Apricot Brioche

• strong wheat flour↗375 g
• fine sugar50 g
• packet of instant yeast7 g
• salt↗2 tsp
• milk↗100 ml
• eggs↗4
• butter↗175 g

  soft

• dried apricots↗140 g

  diced

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   In a mixer or a large bowl, combine the flour, fine sugar, instant yeast, and salt, then add the milk and 3 eggs. Mix until you obtain a homogeneous dough — 5 min in the mixer or 8 min by hand. Add the soft butter and knead for another 5 min in the mixer or 10 min by hand. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and refrigerate overnight; it will firm up and be easier to shape.

2. 2

   Grease two 500 g loaf pans with oil, then divide the dough into about 16 pieces and insert a few diced dried apricots into each. Close them and shape small balls. Place the balls into the pans in pairs of two until the pan is filled (no more than 8 balls per pan). Let the brioche rise for 3 hours, until it doubles in size.

3. 3

   Preheat the oven to 200 °C (180 °C convection, gas mark 6). Brush the surface with beaten egg and bake for 20 min, until golden‑brown and hollow‑sounding when tapped from below. Cool on a rack.