Brioche

A light French bread, cake, or pastry that is made with a rich dough containing light yeast and portionally larger amounts of butter and eggs. It is traditionally baked into a bread, that may use a fluted pan that forms the base of the bread. The top of the dough is glazed with a wash in order to turn the outer surface golden brown in color. The inner texture of the baked dough is considered to be a closed crumb, forming a tight consistency rather than an open crumb, such as sourdough bread that is loosely textured with holes and air pockets. There are a few different styles of Brioche made throughtout France, but a version made in Paris is often topped with a small ball of dough in the center that forms a top knot on the loaf. This bread is then referred to as brioche a tete. In addition to the loaf topped with a small ball, other shapes include braided designs similar to challah bread, or hexagonal and ring shaped versions. Brioche dough can be used for breads, buns, egg or sausage wraps, dessert pastries, cakes, and savory food dishes such as the fois gras meat dish that is prepared as a Brioche.