Brioche Lab · Decision tree
Find your brioche
Three questions sort all 217 recipes into 8 groups. Each question is about one of the ingredients recipes disagree on most, and splits the recipes in front of it at their own median, so each answer keeps about half of them. Every group ends with its median recipe in grams and the real recipes nearest it.
The questions
Question 1
More milk or water than most, or less?
A little milk or water on top of the eggs; some recipes use none.
All 217 recipes: median 25% of the flour weight, 100 g per 400 g of flour; middle half 12% to 40%; 12% use none.
Question 2
More egg than most, or less?
Eggs replace most of the water, which gives the yellow, tender, shreddable crumb.
All 217 recipes: median 40% of the flour weight, 160 g per 400 g of flour; middle half 26% to 57%.
Asked within each answer to question 1, split at the median of the recipes that gave it.
Question 3
More butter than most, or less?
Brioche runs from about 25% butter for a bread-like loaf to 70% or more for a cake-like one; the butter goes in after the gluten has formed.
All 217 recipes: median 36% of the flour weight, 145 g per 400 g of flour; middle half 24% to 49%.
Asked within each answer to question 2, split at the median of the recipes that gave it.
The key
Read left to right: pick an answer to question 1, then one of the answers beside it for question 2, and so on to a group. Each cell gives the answer, its bound in grams per 100 g of flour, and how many recipes give it.
| 1. Milk or water | 2. Egg | 3. Butter | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moreover 25%108 | More30% or more55 | Moreover 34%27 | A27 |
| Less34% or less28 | B28 | ||
| Lessunder 30%53 | Moreover 21%25 | C25 | |
| Less21% or less28 | D28 | ||
| Less25% or less109 | More51% or more54 | Moreover 50%23 | E23 |
| Less50% or less31 | F31 | ||
| Lessunder 51%55 | More40% or more28 | G28 | |
| Lessunder 40%27 | H27 |
The 8 groups
Each median recipe is the median of every ingredient over the group's recipes, scaled to 400 g of flour, beside the typical loaf of all 217. Bold rows are the ingredients the questions asked about.
Group A · 27 recipes · 12% of all
More milk or water, more egg and more butter
Milk or water over 25%, egg 30% or more and butter over 34% of the flour weight.
| At 400 g flour | Group A | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 400 g | 400 g |
| Butter | 170 gabout 3/4 cup | 145 g |
| Egg | 190 gabout 4 large eggs | 160 g |
| Sugar | 50 gabout 1/4 cup | 55 g |
| Milk or water | 125 gabout 1/2 cup | 100 g |
| Salt | 6 g | 6 g |
| Yeast | 6 g | 6 g |
Bake375°F (190°C) for about 30 minutes, the medians of the 24 recipes here that state a temperature and the 26 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group A
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Orangen-Brioche · kuechengoetter.demilk or water 30% · egg 42% · butter 45%
- Classic Brioche · baking-sense.commilk or water 34% · egg 40% · butter 46%
- Brioscia Siciliano | A Soft Italian Brioche Recipe · busbysbakery.commilk or water 40% · egg 50% · butter 50%
- Quick'n dirty Brioche · brotdoc.commilk or water 42% · egg 53% · butter 50%
- Classic Brioche · bakerbettie.commilk or water 25% · egg 40% · butter 40%
Group B · 28 recipes · 12% of all
More milk or water, more egg and less butter
Milk or water over 25%, egg 30% or more and butter 34% or less of the flour weight.
| At 400 g flour | Group B | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 400 g | 400 g |
| Butter | 100 gabout 1/2 cup | 145 g |
| Egg | 155 gabout 3 large eggs | 160 g |
| Sugar | 60 gabout 1/3 cup | 55 g |
| Milk or water | 150 gabout 2/3 cup | 100 g |
| Salt | 3.5 g | 6 g |
| Yeast | 5 g | 6 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 28 minutes, the medians of the 24 recipes here that state a temperature and the 27 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group B
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Brioche Recipe · tasteandtellblog.commilk or water 35% · egg 38% · butter 19%
- Brioche chiocciola · soniaperonaci.itmilk or water 38% · egg 40% · butter 17%
- Brioche moelleuse et filante · hervecuisine.commilk or water 47% · egg 30% · butter 16%
- Cramique moelleux, la brioche belge aux raisins · amourdecuisine.frmilk or water 43% · egg 31% · butter 27%
- Recette brioche maison moelleuse et facile · amourdecuisine.frmilk or water 27% · egg 46% · butter 18%
Group C · 25 recipes · 11% of all
More milk or water, less egg and more butter
Milk or water over 25%, egg under 30% and butter over 21% of the flour weight.
| At 400 g flour | Group C | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 400 g | 400 g |
| Butter | 105 gabout 1/2 cup | 145 g |
| Egg | 85 gabout 1 1/2 large eggs | 160 g |
| Sugar | 65 gabout 1/3 cup | 55 g |
| Milk or water | 165 gabout 2/3 cup | 100 g |
| Salt | 5 g | 6 g |
| Yeast | 5 g | 6 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes, the medians of the 24 recipes here that state a temperature and the 24 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group C
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Brioche facile et moelleuse : la meilleure recette · marmiton.orgmilk or water 41% · egg 20% · butter 30%
- Brioche alsacienne · cuisineaz.commilk or water 40% · egg 20% · butter 30%
- Brioche Bread · iambaker.netmilk or water 49% · egg 20% · butter 23%
- Brioche di Pasqua · soniaperonaci.itmilk or water 40% · egg 17% · butter 25%
- Brioche Bouldouk au thermomix · cookomix.commilk or water 48% · egg 19% · butter 30%
Group D · 28 recipes · 12% of all
More milk or water, less egg and less butter
Milk or water over 25%, egg under 30% and butter 21% or less of the flour weight.
| At 400 g flour | Group D | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 400 g | 400 g |
| Butter | 65 gabout 1/4 cup | 145 g |
| Egg | 80 gabout 1 1/2 large eggs | 160 g |
| Sugar | 65 gabout 1/3 cup | 55 g |
| Milk or water | 165 gabout 2/3 cup | 100 g |
| Salt | 3.5 g | 6 g |
| Yeast | 5 g | 6 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 25 minutes, the medians of the 23 recipes here that state a temperature and the 26 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group D
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Pão brioche · receiteria.com.brmilk or water 39% · egg 16% · butter 19%
- Brioche moelleuse · chefnini.commilk or water 41% · egg 20% · butter 14%
- Saffransbullar (Brioches au safran suédoises) · chefnini.commilk or water 41% · egg 20% · butter 20%
- Brioches · ricettedalmondo.itmilk or water 44% · egg 19% · butter 15%
- Butterbrioche · backenmitchristina.atmilk or water 40% · egg 20% · butter 20%
Group E · 23 recipes · 10% of all
Less milk or water, more egg and more butter
Milk or water 25% or less, egg 51% or more and butter over 50% of the flour weight. 10 of the 23 use no milk or water.
| At 400 g flour | Group E | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 400 g | 400 g |
| Butter | 240 gabout 1 cup | 145 g |
| Egg | 240 gabout 5 large eggs | 160 g |
| Sugar | 40 gabout 3 tbsp | 55 g |
| Milk or water | 24 gabout 1 1/2 tbsp | 100 g |
| Salt | 8 g | 6 g |
| Yeast | 5 g | 6 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 25 minutes, the medians of the 17 recipes here that state a temperature and the 21 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group E
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Receita de Brioches especiais · comidaereceitas.com.brmilk or water 5% · egg 60% · butter 60%
- Masa de brioche · webosfritos.esmilk or water 10% · egg 60% · butter 70%
- Brioche à tête · webosfritos.esmilk or water 10% · egg 70% · butter 70%
- Brioche Nanterre au thermomix · cookomix.commilk or water 0% · egg 60% · butter 60%
- Briochekrans met cranberry’s en chilivlokken van Nadiya Hussain - Culy · culy.nlmilk or water 5.9% · egg 71% · butter 57%
Group F · 31 recipes · 14% of all
Less milk or water, more egg and less butter
Milk or water 25% or less, egg 51% or more and butter 50% or less of the flour weight. 12 of the 31 use no milk or water.
| At 400 g flour | Group F | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 400 g | 400 g |
| Butter | 185 gabout 3/4 cup | 145 g |
| Egg | 240 gabout 5 large eggs | 160 g |
| Sugar | 48 gabout 1/4 cup | 55 g |
| Milk or water | 36 gabout 2 1/2 tbsp | 100 g |
| Salt | 8 g | 6 g |
| Yeast | 5 g | 6 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes, the medians of the 26 recipes here that state a temperature and the 23 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group F
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Brioche parisienne : la meilleure recette · marmiton.orgmilk or water 0% · egg 64% · butter 44%
- Brioche inratable : la meilleure recette · marmiton.orgmilk or water 0% · egg 60% · butter 50%
- Pan brioche con il Bimby · cucchiaio.itmilk or water 10% · egg 71% · butter 49%
- Brioche Nanterre · malteskitchen.demilk or water 0% · egg 63% · butter 50%
- Brioche · laurasbakery.nlmilk or water 0% · egg 67% · butter 48%
Group G · 28 recipes · 12% of all
Less milk or water, less egg and more butter
Milk or water 25% or less, egg under 51% and butter 40% or more of the flour weight. 2 of the 28 use no milk or water.
| At 400 g flour | Group G | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 400 g | 400 g |
| Butter | 195 gabout 3/4 cup | 145 g |
| Egg | 175 gabout 3 1/2 large eggs | 160 g |
| Sugar | 48 gabout 1/4 cup | 55 g |
| Milk or water | 70 gabout 1/3 cup | 100 g |
| Salt | 6 g | 6 g |
| Yeast | 6 g | 6 g |
Bake375°F (190°C) for about 26 minutes, the medians of the 22 recipes here that state a temperature and the 26 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group G
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Brioche du boulanger au thermomix · cookomix.commilk or water 20% · egg 50% · butter 50%
- Brioches individuelles · chefsimon.commilk or water 20% · egg 44% · butter 40%
- Wurst im Briochemantel · kuechengoetter.demilk or water 15% · egg 50% · butter 50%
- Mini-Brioches aus dem Muffinblech · kuechengoetter.demilk or water 24% · egg 48% · butter 57%
- Brioche Bread · bakingamoment.commilk or water 21% · egg 44% · butter 55%
Group H · 27 recipes · 12% of all
Less milk or water, less egg and less butter
Milk or water 25% or less, egg under 51% and butter under 40% of the flour weight. 4 of the 27 use no milk or water.
| At 400 g flour | Group H | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 400 g | 400 g |
| Butter | 120 gabout 1/2 cup | 145 g |
| Egg | 135 gabout 2 1/2 large eggs | 160 g |
| Sugar | 65 gabout 1/3 cup | 55 g |
| Milk or water | 75 gabout 1/3 cup | 100 g |
| Salt | 5 g | 6 g |
| Yeast | 6 g | 6 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes, the medians of the 22 recipes here that state a temperature and the 24 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group H
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Brioche cocotte au thermomix · cookomix.commilk or water 24% · egg 30% · butter 30%
- Receta de pan brioche · comedera.commilk or water 10% · egg 40% · butter 32%
- Brioche maison · chefsimon.commilk or water 21% · egg 47% · butter 31%
- Brioche con gelato : Ricetta originale siciliana · tavolartegusto.itmilk or water 20% · egg 34% · butter 36%
- Pasta Brioche – Brioches dolci · tavolartegusto.itmilk or water 20% · egg 34% · butter 36%
How the questions are chosen
Each ingredient is ranked by how much recipes disagree on it: the width of the middle half of recipes (25th to 75th percentile) divided by the median, less 4% for each place it sits down this lab's list of ingredients, so the ones that define the dish win near ties. For brioche the order is milk or water (1.09), egg (0.77), butter (0.67), sugar (0.61) and yeast (0.64), and the first 3 are asked. Salt is never asked about: recipes differ on it mostly by brand and taste.
Every split is at the median of the recipes in front of it, rounded to the percentage shown. Recipes exactly at the median go to whichever side leaves the two halves more even. No answer may keep fewer than 5 recipes; a group that could not be split further says so.
The recipes listed under each group are the 5 nearest its median on every ingredient at once, each scaled by how much recipes vary on it. Every recipe page links to the original for the method.