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The must-have for a gourmet breakfast or a delicious afternoon snack: chocolate chip brioche. Homemade, it's completely addictive with its honeycombed crumb, airy interior and golden top. It's really easy to make, and with a cup of hot chocolate or tea, you'll love it!
I know that brioches can scare some people off, and I totally understand! But believe me, with all the tips, details and tricks I've provided here, this brioche is absolutely foolproof!
This chocolate chip brioche is made with the same dough as my cinnamon rolls, to which I've added sugar and chocolate chips. By the way, if you like savoury brioches, you'll love this Babka with Pesto and 2 cheeses! And for a change from French Toast on Sunday mornings, try my French toast bagels, a real treat.
💙 Why you'll love it
- It's ridiculously simple, you just need a little patience.
- The crumb is nice and fluffy!
- Ideal for a comforting snack or a gourmet breakfast.
🧈 Ingredients
These are the main ingredients, and the quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
- Flour : all-purpose flour. It's perfect for making an ultra-soft chocolate chip brioche.
- Instant dry yeast
- Milk : use whole milk, lukewarm (not hot).
- Butter : mild, to be used soft (especially not melted). This is what makes the brioche soft, so don't neglect its quality. I recommend a butter with a minimum fat content of 82%, PDO if possible.
- Eggs - ideally pasture-raised organic. You can refer to the Eco Tips I've written on eggs to help you choose the right ones. They must have been at room temperature for at least 1 hour. This is crucial for the richness of the brioche.
- Sugar: white. Since it's finer than brown, it's the one that blends best into the dough.
- Chocolate chips: small or large, it's up to you.
- Salt: fine, to help the gluten develop.
✨ Customize this brioche
You can also remove the chocolate chips and replace them with pralines, as in Lyon (French city), or sugar grains on top. You can also change the shape: braid the brioche, make individual brioches (the baking time will then be shorter), use a special brioche mould, etc...
🥰 Chef's tips
- As European, I'm used to working in grams and milliliters. For savory dishes, the American measuring system can work just perfectly most of the time. But for anything sweet, I really recommend using a digital scale, which is much more precise. That way, you'll be sure to succeed with your recipes.
- Be sure to use the recommended ingredients: all-purpose flour, warm whole milk, softened soft butter and a room-temperature egg.
- Knead the dough for the recommended 10 minutes in your food processor: this is what will give the brioche that stringy crumb. It will also be easier to work with when kneading by hand.
- How to know if the dough has been kneaded enough (after kneading by hand): press lightly with your finger. If the dough more or less returns to its original shape (not completely), it's done!
- Don't neglect the growing times: the brioche will grow twice for 1h30. This is what gives the bread its soft, melt-in-the-mouth crumb.
- Tip for successful sprouts: I usually put my dough in a bowl and stick some cling film over it. I turn on my oven at 85°F/30°C and once it's hot, I turn it off and open the door for about ten minutes. Then I put the bowl down and leave it to grow (I do this for both sprouts).
- Generously flour the work surface to prevent the dough from sticking and make it easier to work.
- To bake: use the natural convection mode (especially not convection heat), place your brioche in the middle of the oven and don't overcook it.
- Don't hesitate to cover the brioche with aluminum foil while it's baking: if you see that it's getting too dark and there's still some baking time left, cover it with aluminum foil.
💡 Frequently Asked Questions
I've never tried it, but as the dough is very sticky, I'd recommend using a food processor. I use this food processor from Kenwood, which is the best value for money I've found (and it's multi-functional). If you don't have one, try making the dough with well-floured hands, but I can't guarantee the result.
Just add a little flour!
Of course, just use a larger pan or two pans.
Yes, but the baking time will be shorter.
❄️ Storage / freezing
To store this chocolate chip brioche, wait until it has cooled completely and place in an airtight container. You can also wrap it in a clean tea towel. After 2 days, it will start to dry out, but you'll have eaten it long before that!
I prefer to freeze straight away what I'm not going to eat, to keep all the softness when I defrost. The principle remains the same: wait for the brioche to cool, cut it into portions and place them in a freezer bag, on which you'll write the date. Then place in the freezer.
To defrost the brioche, I put it in the oven for a few minutes and then put it in the microwave for a few seconds to restore its softness.
🍞 Other bakery gems
- Ciabatta bread (with biga) as in Italy
- Easy homemade pita bread in the oven
- Homemade focaccia (without sourdough)
If you make this chocolate chip Brioche, it would be so nice to leave me a comment and rate the recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. You can also tag me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or Tik Tok, or even send me a photo, I love seeing my little dishes in your homes!
📖 Recette
Chocolate chip brioche
Ingredients
For the brioche:
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (350g)
- 1 ½ teaspoons instant dry yeast (5g)
- ¾ cup whole milk warm (195g)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened (50g)
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (65g)
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips (100g)
For the egg wash:
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
- Set aside 6 tablespoons of flour from the total amount of flour. Mix the yeast and remaining flour in the bowl of your food processor. Add the warmed milk, beaten egg, sugar and a pinch of salt.
- Continue blending, then gradually add the very soft butter pieces. Run the food processor for 5 minutes at low speed, then 5 minutes at slightly higher speed.
- It's sticky, but that's normal. Place the dough on a generously floured work surface, gradually add the remaining flour (a little more if necessary, until the dough forms a much less sticky ball) and knead with your hands.
- Tip to determine whether the dough has been kneaded enough: press lightly with your finger. If the dough more or less returns to its original shape (but not completely), it's ready! Cover and leave to rise at 82-86°F/28-30°C (see notes) for 1h30.
- Flour your work surface and place the dough on top. Add the chocolate chips and gently knead them into the dough with your fingers.
- Next, cut the dough into 4 large pieces, fold them over several times (flour your hands if they're too sticky) and shape into smooth balls.
- Butter and lightly flour your baking tin and place the balls in it. Beat an egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of milk in a bowl, and gently brush the mixture over the dough pieces. Set the mixture aside in the fridge and let the dough rise again, covered, in a place at 82-86°F/28-30°C for 1h30.
- At the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 340°F/170°C on natural convection/static heat top and bottom, and very gently brush your dough pieces with the mixture.
- Bake for approximately 30 minutes in the middle of the oven. Keep a close eye on the brioche while it's baking: if it starts to darken too much and there's still time to bake, cover it with aluminum foil.
Notes
- As European, I'm used to working in grams and milliliters. For savory dishes, the American measuring system can work just perfectly most of the time. But for anything sweet, I really recommend using a digital scale, which is much more precise. That way, you'll be sure to succeed with your recipes.
- Tip for successful rises: I usually put my dough in a bowl and stick some cling film over it. I turn my oven on to 85°F/30°C and once it's hot, I turn it off and open the door for about ten minutes. Then I set the bowl down and leave it to rise (I do this for both rises).
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