Ingredients
1/3 cup warm water (105-115 degrees F, or the temperature of your inner forearm)
1 package active dry yeast
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter, softened, preferably European
4 large eggs at room temperature
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour (SIFT BEFORE MEASURING)
1 egg yolk
Preparation
First day: Sprinkle yeast over the warm water in a small bowl and stir to mix. Wait 10 minutes to proof the yeast (it should be foamy) and then put into mixer bowl with sugar and salt. Stir to dissolve. Add the butter, eggs, and 2 cups of the flour slowly. Beat at medium speed for 4 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl and beater with rubber spatula. Slowly add the last cup of flour. Beat at low speed 1 minute or until smooth (dough will be soft). Put dough into an oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel. Let rise in warm place (85 degrees F) free from drafts until double in bulk-2 to 2 1/2 hours. Beat down the dough with your fist. Cover with a sheet of waxed paper and a damp towel; refrigerate overnight. Second day: Grease 1 1/2 quart brioche pan. Cut off 1/6 of dough for cap. On lightly floured surface, form dough cap into ball, coating with flour. Turn out rest of dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead dough until smooth-about 1 minute. Shape into 5-inch round. Fit evenly into prepared pan. Make 1 1/2-inch wide indentation in center. Insert dough cap. Let rise in warm place covered with clean towel free from drafts until dough rises to the top of the pan-takes about 2 1/2 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Make egg wash by beating egg yolk with 2 teaspoons water. Gently brush surface of dough, being careful not to let the egg wash run between the brioche and the cap. Bake 20 minutes. Cover loosely with foil and bake another 40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in pan on cake rack. Gently loosen brioche from pan with small spatula and remove. Continue cooling on cake rack or serve warm.
