Recipe · Brioche · Overnight
82% Hydration Overnight Brioche
A rich, golden enriched dough with a long, slow incorporation of butter. The crumb is tight and tender, the crust browns quickly from the egg wash, and the loaf keeps for days without going stale the way leaner breads do.
Total time
14 hours
Active
75 minutes
Hydration
82%
Difficulty
⌬⌬⌬
A high-hydration dough wants to flatten on the counter. You manage it with folds instead of kneading, with a banneton instead of free-standing proof, and with a hot Dutch oven or stone that can hold the shape until the spring sets.
Overnight fermentation is where flavor lives. The dough goes in the refrigerator after a brief room-temperature ferment, the cold slows the yeast and lets enzymes do their work, and the loaf you bake the next day tastes like it cost more than it did.
Ingredients
900g total dough. Yields 1 brioche loaf, ~810g baked.
| Ingredient | Grams | Baker's % |
|---|---|---|
| Bread flour | 419 g | 100% |
| Water | 293 g | 70% |
| Milk | 50 g | 12% |
| Salt | 7.5 g | 1.8% |
| Instant yeast | 5 g | 1.2% |
| Butter (softened) | 50 g | 12% |
| Eggs (whole) | 75 g | 18% |
Schedule
- Day 1, 6:00 PMMix flour and water. Autolyse 30 minutes.
- Day 1, 6:30 PMAdd yeast and salt. Mix until smooth.
- Day 1, 7:00 PMStretch and fold every 30 minutes for 2 hours.
- Day 1, 9:00 PMBulk ferment 1-2 more hours at room temperature.
- Day 1, 10:30 PMRoll the dough into a tight log, tucking the seam under, and place seam-side down in a buttered loaf pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Day 2, 7:00 AMPull from the refrigerator. Let the loaf warm 30-45 minutes while you preheat the oven.
- Day 2, 8:00 AMBrush the top with beaten egg. Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes until the top is deep golden and the internal temperature reads 195°F.
Method tips for this style
Add the cold butter in small pieces with the mixer running on low. Wait for each addition to fully incorporate before adding the next. The dough will look broken before it comes back together; trust the process.
What to expect
An almost custardy interior, very open and tender. Brioche at this hydration leans toward bread pudding territory; sandwich loaves get a slightly delicate slice.
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