Classic French Brioche - Parisian 'Brioche à Tête'

How to make a fluffy, classic French brioche for a typical breakfast. Discover how to make your brioche rise, the different kinds in France plus our family's best recipe for a traditional Parisian 'Brioche à tête'.

I love brioche and at last I've found a super recipe to make it all by myself when no one is around so I can concentrate. - Thomasina

Why is Brioche Different to Bread?

French brioche, a luxurious indulgence for breakfast, shares similarities with bread in its use of yeast and flour. However, its airy, light texture sets it apart. Enriched with eggs, butter, milk and sugar, brioche boasts a subtly sweet flavour. This elevated ingredient list also makes it more expensive than traditional bread.

The contrast between its soft, fluffy interior and its glossy, slightly crisp exterior, achieved through an egg yolk glaze, is a hallmark of brioche. This distinctive character places it firmly in the realm of pastries, rather than bread, earning it a spot among viennoiseries.

French Brioche - Life in the Slow Lane

Can you imagine living in a street called Brioche lane? I'd personally feel compelled to have brioche dough out on the window ledge, puffing up proudly for the tourists that passed (that's the dough not me), inviting everyone to have a part in making it! As we were meandering around the French countryside around Burgundy, I snapped this French street sign.

However, it perhaps should read in the plural, Impasse des Brioches, as there are many kinds in France.

Different Kinds of Brioche in France

There are at least 30 variations of Brioche around France, as every region has pretty much its own version. Here are the main kinds of French varieties:

• In Lyon, bakers add pink pralines (see my article on pastries in Lyon), very similar to the Savoyard speciality, le Saint-Genix.
• Head north for the Cramique with more sugar, chocolate or raisins - to taste this, visit Aux Merveilleux de Fred in Paris, one of their main specialities.
• Then there's the special Kouglof or Kugelhopf variation of Brioche from Alsace, with added nuts, raisins and glazed with a syrup.
• In the Vendée region around La Rochelle is the Gâche and in the Aveyron, the Fouace - shaped like a crown.
• Pogne de Romans is found in the Drome region for its touch of orange blossom, inspired in this recipe.

• Around Epiphany, in French bakeries we also see la Brioche Couronne or Brioche des rois - a speciality of the south of France. It's also shaped in a ring to resemble a crown, studded with candied fruit jewels and a hidden fève or trinket inside. It's the brioche version of the classic Galette des Rois.

Parisian vs Nanterre Brioche

Perhaps the most recognised around Paris is the 'Brioche à Tête', also known as the Brioche Parisienne (Parisian Brioche).

The Parisian brioche is basically a large ball with a little head on top, hence its name. This version needs a special fluted brioche tin but, if you don't have this, it's just as easy to make a Brioche Nanterre. Roll dough balls into buns, and place side by side in a loaf tin or regular cake tin following the recipe below.

Nanterre Brioche Buns - Variations

Depending on your mood, you can add all sorts of sweet surprises. This is the part the kids love to join in and create their own combinations - claiming their own Nanterre brioche 'ball'.

Additions make this less classic but the kids have adored chocolate chips, walnuts, pistachios, cranberries, orange peel, or soaked golden raisins (either steeped in more orange flower water or Earl Grey tea) variations. The list is endless, so it's great to keep changing the brioche ball game.

Classic French Brioche Recipe

The first rule to the best brioche recipe is to take your time. The other golden brioche rule is to ensure your ingredients are at room temperature. The rest is a piece of, er, cake.

I make brioche using a stand mixer, but I used to make it just as well by hand (but takes much longer and elbow grease!). This recipe originally came from the French Alsa Briochin® dried yeast packet instructions. I like it as it uses many eggs and more milk than the average recipe. Over the years, I've adapted it with less butter, less sugar and our favourite addition is the orange flower water.

What is Brioche Made of?

Here's what ingredients you'll need to make a traditional brioche:

• Flour - the best flour for brioche is bread flour but this recipe also works just as well using all-purpose. In France I use either T55 or even T45.
• Yeast - sachets of instant dried yeast in France vary from 4.6g to 5.5g. Most recipes specify more dried yeast (2 sachets for 500g flour) but this recipe works well with less. If you prefer, use 2 sachets but ensure that the expiry date isn't off, as yeast will not rise if out of date.
• Milk - whole milk is best.
• Sugar - regular granulated is good. Pearl sugar is often added to the classic Parisian brioche.
• Eggs - try to use organic or free-range if possible. I use 4 medium eggs or 3 large eggs. Fore more, see FAQ - French baking tips.
• Butter - unsalted is good and try to use French butter (82% fat - see FAQ).
• Salt - add some sea salt well after mixing in the yeast, to help the dough rise.
• Orange flower water - this is purely optional but adds a lovely classic flavour from the south. If you prefer, replace 2 tablespoons with more milk.

How to Make a Classic French Brioche

First, ensure all your ingredients are at room temperature.

Slightly warm the milk (lukewarm only, 10-15 seconds in the microwave) in a jug and stir in the yeast until dissolved. Mix the flour and sugar in a stand mixer bowl.
Attach the dough hook and start mixing on the lowest setting. (For my latest photos, I used a paddle hook as I've lost my dough hook - but the brioche recipe still works well.)

Add the warmed milk and yeast. In the same jug, mix in the orange flower water (or more milk) to ensure all yeast is incorporated and add to the dough.
Break the eggs into a bowl and beat them. Gradually add the beaten eggs, salt and softened butter cubes (melted butter may be too hot and affect the yeast).

Mix well until you have an even dough, stopping a couple of times to scrape down the dough with a spatula. 
Mix for at least 15 minutes until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl and loses its stick. (The dough shouldn't stick to the fingers when touched.)

Transfer the dough to another bowl and cover with a clean towel or a shower cap. Leave to rise in a warm place (24-35°C) for an hour until tripled (at least doubled) in size.

Knock down the dough to release the yeast's gases. This is important to eliminate the yeast smell and taste. If you're adding chocolate chips, nuts, or candied fruits, mix these in.

If making a brioche à tête, rip off a small amount of dough (size of a pingpong ball). Stretch and roll the dough into one large ball and place in a fluted brioche tin.
Create a small indent at the top middle and place the little head on top.

If making a brioche loaf (brioche Nanterre), divide the dough and roll into 3 larger tennis-sized, or 6-8 smaller balls and place side-by-side in a loaf or cake tin.

If the brioche browns too much, you could cover with greaseproof paper halfway through baking. Although this is how they serve it in our local boulangeries or bakeries.

Cool the brioche on a wire rack. Let the brioche rest for about an hour before devouring or serve for breakfast next morning.

Brioche also freezes well for up to a month if stored in a well sealed, airtight bag.

What to Serve with French Brioche

Enjoyed at its best for breakfast, sometime plain is best with a large coffee or tea. If using the orange blossom, it's beautiful on its own to appreciate these subtle flavours. As brioche has a little sugar, it's good with honey or jam. Enjoy served with these preserve recipes:

• apricot and lavender jam,
• fig jam (reduced sugar with orange)
• spiced plum or rhubarb and rose
• creamy orange curd
• Alternatively, serve with homemade rhubarb or strawberry compote.

French Brioche Toast

Now that you've made a classic brioche, turn it into French brioche toast! It's all explained in my best French toast recipe, direct from our local bakery.

This post was first published 12 September 2012 but is now completely updated.