Brioche is a type of French bread that has a very high butter and egg content. This results in a buttery, soft, and pillowy bread. Brioche can be used for anything from hamburger buns, to French toast, to bread pudding!

HOW DO I MAKE MATCHA BRIOCHE?

 

 

Here is a short overview of each step to making matcha brioche. The whole process takes around 4 hours and 30 minutes- a delicious labor of love that’s well worth the wait!

Make the sponge: during the sponge stage, we are going to bloom the yeast. The sponge is a mixture of flour, yeast, and milk. The sponge must be left to rise for 45 minutes. 

 

Make the Dough: once the sponge has formed air pockets, the eggs, remaining flour, matcha, sugar, and salt are added. This gets mixed until the dough turns shiny and elastic and pulls away from the sides of the mixer

 

Add the Butter: In this step, we are gradually adding the butter, tablespoon by tablespoon. Each tablespoon must be fully incorporated into the dough before you add the next. After all the butter is incorporated, the dough needs to rise for about 1 hour. 

Prepare and Bake: In this step, we go over a method of shaping the dough and then adding it to a loaf pan to proof once more before baking. The loaves are also brushed with an egg wash right before they go into the oven.

CAN I MAKE THE DOUGH BY HAND?

Yes, you technically could, but we don’t recommend it. This dough needs proper gluten development which requires a ton of mixing. The process of adding the butter is also a very gradual, slow one, so it’s safe to say using a mixer to make matcha brioche will definitely make your life way easier!

WHAT KIND OF YEAST SHOULD I USE?

Since we are blooming the yeast in the sponge portion of the dough, the type of dry yeast you use isn’t that important. You may use active dry yeast or instant yeast. 

WHAT KIND OF MATCHA SHOULD I USE?

 

We used Jade Leaf Culinary Grade Matcha to make this delicious matcha bread! However, you can use any grade of matcha you have on-hand- anything works!

THE WINDOWPANE TEST

The windowpane test is used to check for gluten development. Take a small piece of dough and slowly stretch it in opposite directions. If the dough becomes thin and appears semi-transparent before it tears, congratulations! You have developed your gluten. Developing gluten gives the bread a perfect texture and a nice chew.

CAN I KEEP THE DOUGH IN THE FRIDGE OVERNIGHT?

Yes, you can! If you’re not ready to bake the same day, you can let it sit in the fridge overnight after you have finished the dough and let it rise for 1 hour. After this rise, punch down the dough to deflate it completely. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and transfer it to the fridge to sit overnight. When you go to bake it the next day, take it out and let it proof until it has doubled in size before baking, about 2 hours and 30 minutes or more, if needed.

One pro to doing it this way is that it allows the bread to “marinate” and develop a little more flavor! You could also leave half of the dough in the fridge- bake one fresh the same day, then bake the other loaf fresh the next day.

WHAT ELSE CAN I USE MATCHA BRIOCHE FOR?

 

We are so excited about this matcha brioche, because it can be used for so many different things!

• Make our amazing Matcha Bread Pudding
• Spread on some of our Matcha Butter
• Make French toast
• Toast it and spread on some jam
• Drizzle on some honey
• Eat it plain! This bread is so buttery, soft, and flavorful on it’s own

Matcha Brioche

 

INGREDIENTS

For the sponge:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 ¼ tsp. Active dry yeast (.25 oz packet)
• ½ cup milk, lukewarm

For the dough:

• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp Jade Leaf Culinary Grade Matcha, sifted
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup butter, (2 sticks) softened, plus more for pans

FOR THE EGG WASH

• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp water

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the sponge: To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, add 1 cup flour, yeast, and milk. Using a spatula, mix until well combined, then cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 45 minutes.
2. Once the sponge has formed air pockets, add in eggs, remaining 3 cups of flour, matcha, sugar, and salt. Mix on medium speed until well. Combined, then gradually increase the mixer to a medium-high speed. Continue mixing until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and becomes shiny and elastic, about 10 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. While the mixer is running, add in the butter very gradually, 1 tablespoon a t a time. Allow each tablespoon to fully incorporate into the dough before adding the next, about 15 minutes.  Continue mixing the dough on medium-high speed for 5-7 minutes until the dough passes the windowpane test. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rest about 1 hour,  or until doubled in size. If planning on baking the next day follow directions for overnight refrigeration listed above. 
4. Once dough has doubled in size, turn out onto a floured surface and punch down the dough. Divide the dough in half. Cut each half into six equal pieces; flatten each piece into a rectangle, then fold short ends in towards each other as if folding a letter. Flatten again and tightly roll into a log starting with the short end. Repeat with remaining pieces.
5. Grease two 8”x5” loaf pans with butter. Place 6 pieces of dough into each prepared pan, seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough proof until puffy and doubled in size, 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
6. Make the egg wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Brush the egg wash on top of each loaf. Bake for 30 minutes. Note: if the tops begin getting too brown after about 10 minutes, tent the loaves with tinfoil for remainder of bake time to prevent burning the tops.
7. Allow the loaves to cool for 5 minutes then turn out onto cooling rack to cool completely.