Vegan Brioche

Vegan brioche is as buttery, soft, and delicious as the traditional egg and butter laden loaves! It's delicious on its own, as toast, sandwiches, or for making french toast with the leftovers.

📝 Ingredients

• 3 cups (416g) all purpose flour
• 3 cups (416g) bread flour
• 1/4 cup (48g) sugar
• 1 tsp (6g) salt
• 2 tsp (9g) instant yeast
• 1 3/4 cups (411g) plant milk (room temperature or cold)
• 3/4 cups (180g) silken tofu
• 2 tsp (10g) apple cider or white vinegar
• 12 tbsp (168g) vegan butter, softened (use up to 16 tbsp/226g for a richer loaf)
• 2 tbsp plant milk
• 2 tsp maple syrup or agave nectar
• 1 tsp cornstarch

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1In the bowl of a stand mixer or...: In the bowl of a stand mixer or bread machine combine the all purpose and bread flours, sugar, salt, and instant yeast (see note below if using active dry yeast).
2. 2Blend the silken tofu, plant milk, and vinegar...: Blend the silken tofu, plant milk, and vinegar together with a stick blender or upright blender until smooth. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon until the dough is shaggy.
3. 3Using the dough hook on the stand mixer...: Using the dough hook on the stand mixer knead the dough on low speed for 5 minutes to begin developing the dough. If using a bread machine, set it on the dough cycle and begin adding the vegan butter after 5 minutes of kneading.
4. 4Slowly add the vegan butter while the mixer...: Slowly add the vegan butter while the mixer is on, just a couple tablespoons at a time. You may need to pause occasionally to scrape down the sides or push the soft butter into the dough manually. It can take up to 10 minutes to incorporate all of the butter.
5. 5Once the butter has been kneaded in, let...: Once the butter has been kneaded in, let the mixer continue to knead for another 15-20 minutes to develop the dough. The silken tofu prevents you from being able to thinly stretch the dough into a window pane, but you will still see a smoother texture from the dough as it kneads.
6. 6Turn the kneaded dough into a lightly oiled...: Turn the kneaded dough into a lightly oiled mixing bowl and turn the dough to coat in oil. Cover the bowl and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour, at which point it will be puffy and increased about 50% in size.
7. 7Place the dough in the fridge and refrigerate...: Place the dough in the fridge and refrigerate for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight or up to 1 day.
8. 8Grease two standard loaf pans (8.5 x 4.5...: Grease two standard loaf pans (8.5 x 4.5 inches) with vegan butter. You can also use 9"x5" loaf pans.
9. 9Take the refrigerated dough and divide it into...: Take the refrigerated dough and divide it into 2 equal pieces to make 2 loaves of bread. Shape each piece of dough into your desired shape (see post for more details).
10. 10To make a braid: Divide the dough into...: To make a braid: Divide the dough into three equal pieces and roll out until about 14 inches long. Arrange the ropes parallel to each other and starting about 1/3 of the way down from the top start braiding the dough. When you reach the end pinch the pieces together. Then braid the top part of the dough, you will have to braid in the opposite way to match the lower half. Pinch the top ends together, then tuck both ends under the bread. Gently transfer the braid into the greased pan.To make a segmented bread: Divide the dough into six equal pieces. Flatten each piece into a rectangle, then fold the short ends in like a letter. Flatten the dough to a rectangle once again (about as wide as the loaf pan) then roll the dough from the short end to make a log. Place each segment into the loaf pan seam side down, squishing them flatter to fit.
11. 11Cover the loaves with plastic wrap and let...: Cover the loaves with plastic wrap and let rise until about 1.5x as large, or the dough almost reaches the top of the pan. This will take 1-3 hours depending on ambient temperature.
12. 12Preheat the oven to 375 ºF.
13. 13When the loaves have risen, optionally brush them...: When the loaves have risen, optionally brush them with the vegan egg wash. This is most appropriate for sweet or neutral applications, skip for a savory dish. Mix together the plant milk, syrup, and cornstarch, then brush over the top of the proved loaves.
14. 14Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top...: Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center reaches 180-190 ºF.
15. 15Remove the loaves immediately from the pans and...: Remove the loaves immediately from the pans and let cool on a wire rack for a minimum of 20 minutes before slicing into.