Milk Brioche Rolls Recipe

Ingredients

2/3 cup heavy cream (at room temperature)
1 cup milk (plus 1 tablespoon, at room temperature; whole, 1%, or 2% milk can be used)
1 large egg (at room temperature)
1/3 cup sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour (or 1/2 cup cake flour combined with 3 1/2 cups bread flour)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast (or instant yeast)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water)
Simple syrup (1 tablespoon sugar dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water)

Preparation

Mixing the Dough:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the following ingredients in this order: heavy cream, milk, egg, sugar, cake flour, bread flour, yeast, and salt.
Set the mixer to “stir” and knead for 15 minutes, occasionally stopping to push the dough together. If the dough sticks to the sides of the bowl, add flour one tablespoon at a time until it pulls away from the sides (it should still stick to the bottom). If kneading by hand, extend the kneading time by 5-10 minutes.

First Proofing:

Cover the dough with a damp towel and place it in a warm spot until it has doubled in size, approximately 1-2 hours. For optimal proofing, place the dough in a closed microwave with a mug of just-boiled water next to it.

Preparing the Baking Pans:

Grease two baking pans on all sides with butter. Suitable pans include two standard loaf pans, two 9-inch (23cm) round pans, or one of each.

Shaping the Dough:

Once the dough has doubled, return it to the mixer and stir for an additional 5 minutes to eliminate air bubbles.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it in half. For loaves, shape each half into a rough rectangle, cut each into three equal pieces, and place them in a loaf pan.
Alternatively, divide each half into 8 pieces, shape them into balls or ropes (for twisting into buns), and place them in round pans. You can choose to make 2 loaves, 16 rolls, or a combination of 1 loaf and 8 rolls.
Cover the shaped dough and let it proof for another hour.

Baking:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), positioning a rack in the center.
Brush the risen dough with egg wash.
Bake for 23-25 minutes until golden brown.

Finishing Touch:

Remove the bread from the oven and brush with sugar water to add shine and a touch of sweetness.