How to Make Enriched Bread Dough: A Step-by-Step Guide

When I began baking almost 20 years ago, I never imagined the wide variety of baked goods that could emerge from my kitchen using just a handful of ingredients. Through trial and error, I discovered that baking bread products isn't as complicated or enigmatic as it might appear to someone unfamiliar with baking. The subtle differences between bread products, as well as their texture and flavor, depend on the proportions of each basic ingredient. These include flour, sugar, fat (such as butter, oil, or margarine), yeast, water, and milk or cream.

The choice of each ingredient influences the setting time required before baking a bread product, as well as its flavor, texture, and shelf-life. The method of incorporating ingredients into the batter or dough decides whether the bread is a traditional product (such as yeast bread), quick bread, or enriched bread. Today, I will talk about enriched breads and how this sweet and creamy type of bread can be used in recipes like challah, brioche, beignets, or even French toast.

Mastering the preparation of 5-minute bread has significantly benefited my kitchen routine. As a busy mom, I don't have the time to make fresh dough daily for baking sweets or traditional bread items. Due to my hectic schedule, I rely on the following methods:

• Create the 5-minute dough recipe for classic breads such as baguettes, loaf bread, and artisan bread.

  
  

• Make another batch of enriched dough that can be stored in the freezer for a few weeks.

This approach enables me to select just what I require to prepare fresh breads or sweets for the week.

Distinctions among Traditional Bread, Quick Bread, and Enriched Bread

While most bread products contain the same ingredients, there are distinct differences between traditional breads, quick breads, and enriched breads.

TRADITIONAL BREAD (such as yeast bread) is made without using dairy ingredients like eggs or milk. By incorporating yeast, the dough is left to rest at room temperature for several hours. If you use the 5 Minute Bread recipe, the dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Additionally, the leftover dough can be utilized later to make sourdough bread.

QUICK BREAD is made using dairy ingredients such as eggs or milk, and sometimes sugar or honey for extra sweetness. Unlike traditional bread, quick breads use chemical leavening agents like sodium bicarbonate instead of yeast to help the dough rise. This substitution allows the batter to be prepared in just 10-15 minutes, followed by immediate baking. These breads are termed "quick" because the chemical leaveners greatly reduce preparation time, as the dough or batter does not need to ferment for extended periods to rise and expand. Examples of quick breads include biscuits, muffins, cornbread, and creamed loaves.

ENRICHED BREAD serves as a bridge between quick breads and traditional bread. Similar to quick breads, enriched dough incorporates eggs, milk, and sugar or honey. Additionally, this bread includes yeast in the dough. This results in a sweet, creamy bread that can be stored for weeks. Like yeast breads, a substantial batch of challah or brioche dough can be made and utilized to create desserts such as beignets, cinnamon rolls, sticky pecan caramel rolls, and more.

Refer to the table below to compare the differences among the three types of bread products.

Table 1. Yeast Bread vs. Quick Bread vs. Enriched Bread

Steps to Make Enriched Dough

Prepare the enriched dough a day prior to baking, which requires just 5 minutes if you use my method detailed below. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for up to 2 hours due to the presence of eggs, then refrigerate it if you intend to use it within 3 to 5 days. For storage beyond 5 days, transfer the dough to the freezer.

If you freeze the enriched dough, ensure you remove it from the freezer the day prior and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Distinction between Challah and Brioche

Challah and Brioche are two prevalent types of enriched breads. Challah is "traditionally served in Jewish households at the start of Sabbath on Friday nights" (Hertzberg, et al., 2013). This bread is made using eggs, Kosher salt, and butter. In this recipe, oil or margarine can replace butter. (Note: Butter imparts the enriched bread with its unique flavor and aroma).

Brioche is a type of bread similar to Challah and is often featured in French and Italian cuisines. Like Challah, Brioche is made with the same basic ingredients, but it does not require Kosher ingredients. Additionally, Brioche incorporates twice the number of eggs as Challah in its recipe. A benefit of both types of bread is the versatility of their dough, allowing for the creation of various recipes such as rolls, French toast, bread pudding, beignets, and more using either the baked bread or its dough.

Let's discover how to prepare these two breads with the 5 Minute Bread technique.

Table 2. Challah Master Dough Recipe

(Hertzberg et al, 2013)

Instructions for Preparing Challah Dough:

1. In a mixing bowl, mix lukewarm water, yeast, salt, eggs, honey, and either melted butter, margarine, or oil in a 6-quart (6 Liter) bowl or a container with a lid.

   
   

2. Using a mixing spoon or stand mixer, incorporate the flour without kneading until the dough is consistent and uniform.

   
   

3. If made in a heavy-duty stand mixer, use a dough scraper to transfer the dough mixture into a plastic container.

   
   

4. Loosely cover the container and leave it on the countertop until the dough rises and then collapses. This should take about 2 hours.

   
   

5. The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. After 5 days, freeze the dough in 1-pound (454 g) portions in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

   
   

Instructions for Baking Day (Using Cold/Chilled/Refrigerated Dough):

1. Coat a baking sheet with butter or grease, or cover it with parchment paper.

   
   

2. Dust the top of the dough mixture with flour.

   
   

3. Take a ball of dough and use kitchen scissors or a serrated knife to cut 1 pound (454 g) from it.

   
   

4. Sprinkle additional flour on the cut dough and swiftly form it into a ball.

   
   

5. Carefully roll and stretch the dough into a long rope with a thickness of ¾ inches (19 mm), letting the dough rest for 5 minutes between rolls to avoid tearing.

   
   
   
   

Steps for Braiding Challah

1. Utilize a dough scraper or knife to cut the long rope into 3 sections of equal length.

   
   

2. Arrange the 3 cut sections side by side to form a left, middle, and right dough strand.

   
   

3. Begin with the middle strand, then move the left strand over it and place it in the center.

   
   

4. Then, move the right strand over the center strand.

   
   

5. Continue crossing the left and right strands over the center strand until you reach the end of the dough section.

   
   

6. Bring the two ends of the strands together and pinch them.

   
   

7. Position the shaped dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let it rest for 90 minutes prior to baking.

   
   

8. Set the oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and allow it to preheat.

   
   

9. Apply egg wash to the dough with a pastry brush, then sprinkle seeds on top.

   
   

10. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the bread turns golden-brown and the center feels slightly firm when pressed.

    
    

11. Let the bread cool on a rack before serving.

Table 3. Brioche Master Dough Recipe

(Hertzberg et al, 2013)

Instructions for Preparing Brioche Dough:

In contrast to Challah dough, Brioche dough is ready for use right after the 2-hour rise at room temperature.

In a mixing bowl, mix lukewarm water, yeast, salt, eggs, honey, and either melted butter, margarine, or oil in a 6-quart (6 Liter) bowl or a container with a lid.

Utilize a mixing spoon or stand mixer to incorporate the flour without kneading until the dough is consistent and uniform.

If using a heavy-duty stand mixer, move the dough mixture into a plastic container with a dough scraper.

Loosely cover the container and leave it on the countertop until the dough rises and then deflates. This should take about 2 hours.

You can keep the dough in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. After 5 days, freeze the dough in 1-pound (454 g) portions in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Instructions for Baking Day:

1. Butter or grease a nonstick loaf pan measuring 8 ½ x 4 ½ inches (216 mm x 114 mm).

   
   

2. Sprinkle flour over the surface of the dough mixture.

   
   

3. Take a portion of dough and cut a 1-pound (454 g) piece using kitchen scissors or a serrated knife.

   
   

4. Sprinkle additional flour on the cut dough and knead it for at least 30 seconds. Kneading significantly enhances the bread’s texture.

   
   

5. Form the dough into a ball and let it rest for 10 minutes.

   
   

6. Carefully roll the dough into an oval and place it in the loaf pan.

   
   

7. Let the dough rest for 90 minutes before baking.

   
   

8. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C).

   
   

9. Brush the top of the loaf with egg wash using a pastry brush.

   
   

10. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the bread is golden-brown and fully set.

    
    

11. Let the bread cool on a rack before serving.

Now you know how to make enriched breads. These breads are simple to prepare, and their dough mixtures can be stored for several weeks if done correctly. In the next blog, I'll share some recipes you can create with the Challah and Brioche dough mixture. But for now, spend 5 minutes preparing the dough mixture and enjoy it on its own or freeze it for later use.

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Happy baking!

References

• Hertzberg, J. M.D & Francois, Z. (2013). The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. First Edition. Thomas Dunne Books.

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