Whole Wheat Sourdough Brioche
Can a loaf be rich and fluffy yet still hearty and wholesome? Yes, and this whole wheat sourdough brioche is that loaf. With a sourdough leaven and 50% whole wheat flour, it has a tart, nutty flavor profile. To balance that, it also has a brioche-style enrichment for a bit of buttery bliss. And you aren’t limited to just making a loaf—it can also be shaped as hamburger buns, hoagies, hot dog buns, or dinner rolls, for whatever your bread-based machinations may be.
Ingredients
Dough
- 120 grams (½ cup) whole milk
- 56 grams (¼ cup) butter, plus more for pan
- 66 grams (⅓ cup) sugar
- 156 grams (1 cup) whole wheat flour
- 142 grams (1 cup) bread flour
- 4 grams (⅔ tsp) fine salt
- 1 large egg
- 125 grams (½ cup) sourdough starter active/fed (see note)
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 15 grams (1 tbsp) heavy cream or milk
- Sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat to a gentle simmer. Remove from heat and mix in butter and sugar until melted and dissolved. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, or until 100-120°.
- Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook, combine flours and salt and mix together. Set aside.
- Once cooled, add eggs and starter to the milk mixture and whisk until smooth.
- Add wet ingredient mixture to dry ingredient mixture. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead on medium speed until dough is smooth and slightly tacky, but not sticky, about 8-10 minutes. Alternatively, knead by hand using preferred method.
- Transfer dough to a lightly greased clear bowl or container. Mark the position of the top of the dough with a rubber band or washable marker. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and leave at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 4-6 hours (see note).
- For a loaf: Grease an 8.5x4.5-inch loaf pan with butter. Punch down dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces (use a scale to weigh each piece of accuracy). Roll each into a 10-inch log with your hands. Pinch together one end of each log. Braid stands into a loaf and pinch seems closed. Place in prepared loaf pan.
- For hamburger buns or dinner rolls: Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with butter. Punch down dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 4 pieces for large burger buns, 6 for smaller buns, or 12 for dinner rolls (use a scale to weigh each piece of accuracy). Pinch and pull the edges of each piece into the center to create a taught ball of dough. Pinch seems closed. Place seem side down in the prepared loaf pan.
- For hoagie rolls or hot dog buns: Line a half sheet pan (13x18-inch) with parchment paper. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces for hoagies, or 6 for hot dog buns (use a scale to weigh each piece of accuracy). Roll out each piece with a rolling pin into 4x6-inch rectangles. Roll up each rectangle, starting from the longer edge, into a tight cylinder. Pinch seems closed. Place seem side down on the prepared baking sheet, spaced evenly apart.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and allow dough to rise until about doubled. This may take around 3-6 hours (see note).
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl whisk together egg and heavy cream for egg wash. Brush the top of the dough with egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
- Bake for around 20-25 minutes for buns or 35-45 minutes for a loaf, or until golden brown and internal temperature is 210°. Allow to cool in pan for 5-10 minutes then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Rising time will depend on the ambient temperature and the strength of your sourdough starter. Since this is an enriched dough a very active starter will ensure the best results. This means your starter should at least double within 8-12 hours of feeding. If you are using a young starter (<6 months old), or if it has not been fed within 24 hours of using, you may consider adding a pinch of bakers yeast to the dough, or increasing the amount of starter. If your room temperature is below 70° consider proofing in a warm spot, such as the oven with the light on (just leave yourself a note so you don’t accidentally turn on the oven…trust me, it happens).