By now, we all know that I hate aquafaba with a passion. It is literally my least favourite ingredient in the world (bar maybe coconut cheese) and that’s why I am adamant that I will NEVER use it in any of my bread recipes. In my mission to avoid this darn ingredient, I’ve created this Sourdough Brioche Loaf recipe! A few months ago, I posted a super delicious Sourdough 4 Braid Brioche Loaf recipe which also had no aquafaba, and today we’re repeating the exercise, but making it a little simpler along the way.
This super simple Sourdough Brioche Loaf is super light, super fluffy, super buttery, and the best upgrade to your breakfast. All of that, and it’s traditionally fermented, making it lighter on your gut and therefore easier to digest. I got the inspiration for this recipe simply because I wanted to enjoy a brioche without having to braid it! I love a good French toast made with brioche and using sourdough starter instead of yeast just takes the biscuit.
Something about a slightly sweet, buttered slice of brioche just sings cosy winter time for me, and I’m making the most of the cold weather whilst its still here, to indulge in a few extra baked goods. I love to enjoy this brioche bread freshly sliced and still slightly warm, spread with dairy-free butter and a drizzling of honey. Adding a pinch of cinnamon always adds a bit of warmth to the whole thing too. Okay, without further ado, let’s get into how we make it!
Baker’s Schedule…
DAY ONE
As is the way we do things here, this recipe starts by feeding our sourdough starters! First thing in the morning, I take my starter out of the fridge and leave her to come to room temperature before giving her a generous feed. For this recipe, I’m feeding my starter in a 1:2 ratio of rye and white flour. I usually add in equal measures, but for this recipe we want to dough to be a bit lighter and fluffier, so I add more white flour. After feeding, let your starter double in size over the course of the day.
Once beautifully risen and very bubbly, I make a start on the dough. For this recipe, I use unsweetened oat milk (at room temperature) and extra virgin olive oil. You can use whichever plant milk you like – I tend to use oat milk in my baking because I’ve found it’s most stable at higher temperatures. You can also use melted dairy-free butter instead of olive oil if you wish, just make sure you have the exact same amounts (I consider olive oil to be more of a wholefood than dairy-free butter which is why I use it more often). For maple syrup, I use the rich A grade stuff for the best flavour, but you could use any alternative you like as long as it’s not too heavy e.g. I wouldn’t recommend molasses or similar.
Whisk up all those wet ingredients until well combined, then go ahead and add in the flour. For this recipe I’m using strong baker’s flour (also known as bread flour) instead of all-purpose/plain because I find it gives you a much softer bread at the end. Add in the flour one cup at a time, until your dough is smooth and elastic (not sticky). You might need to add more or less flour, depending on how wet your sourdough starter is and the humidity of your kitchen. Once a dough has formed, knead her a few times before shaping into a ball, place in an oiled bowl, covering with a DAMP tea towel, and leave to ferment overnight.
During the fermenting process, we want to complete a few stretch-and-folds for extra gluten strands and fluffiness. To complete a stretch-and-fold, go ahead and take the top half of the dough and pull it away from you. Fold it over the top of the rest of the dough, then turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat this process until you’ve gone all the way around. Do this 2-3 times, leaving 30 minutes or so in between each iteration. After that, cover your dough once again and let that baby rest for the night.
DAY TWO
In the morning, your dough should have risen to fill the bowl, or at least doubled in height. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and complete one last stretch-and-fold before leaving to sit for 15 minutes (this is called the autolyse process and makes the dough easier to handle later on). After 15 minutes, it’s time to shape the dough. To do this, cup your hands on the far side of the dough, and pull it towards you in a scooping motion. Turn 180° and repeat. We’re aiming to create a tall and firm loaf shape.
Once you’re happy with the shape of your dough, place her into a parchment paper lined loaf tin, seam-side down (if you can). Cover with a DAMP tea towel and leave to prove for 1-2 hours, or until the dough has risen to fill the tin. Towards the end of the prove, preheat the oven and brush the loaf with some plant milk or melted dairy-free butter. Bake until lovely and golden brown, then let cool completely. Slice, spread generously with dairy-free butter and drizzle with honey (or maple syrup) and enjoy! This brioche also works really well toasted or as French toast.
And there it is in all its golden glory – another super simple Sourdough Brioche Loaf with no funny business. I really hope you love this brioche recipe as much as I do. If you make this recipe, make sure you leave a like and a comment down below! I absolutely love hearing from you guys and you can be sure that I will try my best to get back to you soon! And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @amongsttheflour I love seeing the photos of recipes you’ve all made! Have a warm and cozy winter, and stay safe and healthy this February! I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Katherine x
Super Simple Sourdough Brioche Loaf
Ingredients
- 110g (1/2 cup) bubbly, sourdough starter
- 125ml (1/2 cup) unsweetened plant milk
- 65ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
- 2-3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 450g (3 cups) strong white bread flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
Method
In the morning
- Take your sourdough starter out of the fridge and give it a good feed. For this recipe you’ll want your starter to be about the same thickness as pancake batter.
- Leave the starter to come to room temperature and double in height throughout the day. By about mid-late afternoon, your starter should be ready to use.
In the afternoon
- Once the starter is nice and bubbly and at least double the height it was originally, pour the stated amount into a large mixing bowl. Add in the milk, oil, syrup, and vanilla, and whisk everything together until combined.
- Add in the salt and the flour one cup at a time, until everything is combined. You’ll want to use your hands as you add the last of the flour to make sure it’s fully incorporated. Knead gently in the bowl for a few minutes until smooth and fairly elastic.
- Shape the dough into a ball and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave to prove for 8-12 hours overnight. During the fermenting process, complete 2-3 stretch and folds to create long gluten strands in the dough. Complete the first stretch-and-fold after 1 hour, and then the other 1-2 every 30 minutes afterwards.
The next morning
- In the morning, your dough should have risen to fill the bowl, or at least doubled in height. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and complete one last stretch-and-fold before leaving to sit for 15 minutes (this is called the autolyse process and makes the dough easier to handle later on).
- After 15 minutes, it’s time to shape the dough. To do this, cup your hands on the far side of the dough, and pull it towards you in a scooping motion. Turn 180° and repeat. We’re aiming to create a tall and firm loaf shape.
- Once you’re happy with the shape of your dough, place her into a parchment paper lined loaf tin, seam-side down (if you can). Cover with a DAMP tea towel and leave to prove for 1-2 hours, or until the dough has risen to fill the tin.
- Towards the end of the prove, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°C) and brush the loaf with some plant milk or melted dairy-free butter. Bake for 30-45 minutes until lovely and golden brown, then let cool completely. Slice, spread generously with dairy-free butter and drizzle with honey (or maple syrup) and enjoy! This brioche also works really well toasted or as French toast.
Amongst The Flour 