Brioche dough

Method

1. In a small saucepan, whisk 120g of the milk with 120g water and the wholemeal flour, then cook over a medium heat. The flour will thicken quickly to form a thick paste like a roux. Cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the mixture from the pan into the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook. Spread the mix out a little so it cools slightly.
2. After a few minutes, add the remaining milk and the eggs along with the dried yeast. You don’t need to warm the milk as the heat from the roux will warm it naturally. Add the white flour, sugar and salt. Mix on a medium speed with a dough hook for 5-8 minutes. It should come together as a dough but will still look quite raggedy and wet. Scrape down the bowl to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom, then leave to rest for 10 minutes. This will allow the dough to relax, the flour to carry on absorbing the liquids gently and the gluten to build passively.
3. Mix for another 5 minutes on a medium-high speed. The dough should now feel cohesive and have a good stretch. Keeping the mixer on a medium speed, start to add the butter, about a tablespoon at a time. Wait for each addition to be mostly incorporated before adding the next. This will take a little time. If the mixer and/or dough are getting very hot, rest them for 5 minutes before continuing. Once all the butter is incorporated, scrape the dough onto your worktop and shape it into a smooth ball (a plastic pastry scraper is a great tool for this; they are a super useful tool for any baker).
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4. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled rectangular container and either cover with a lid or a damp tea towel. Use a marker or a bit of masking tape to mark the top of your dough on the outside of your container. This will help you to judge the dough’s volume. Put the dough in a warm spot away from any draughts; I often sit it in the microwave (turned off) to keep it at a consistent temperature. Allow the dough to rise to just under double (45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your kitchen), then transfer to the fridge for at least 1 hour or as long as overnight.
5. Now you have your base dough, the world is your oyster. If you want a brioche loaf, just roll the rested dough into a loaf shape, leave to prove in a loaf tin until doubled in size, then bake for 35-40 minutes at 190°C fan/gas 6.5. You can make Swedish-inspired cinnamon or cardamom buns, buns topped with custard and fruit, brush the dough with a herby, garlicky butter and twist into decadent garlic bread, or even divide the dough into small balls and fry as doughnuts.