---
title: "Brioche: what it is and why it is not milk bread"
type: article
brand: santopane
locale: en
---

# Brioche: what it is and why it is not milk bread

Brioche is a French bread made from a dough enriched with plenty of butter and eggs. Understand how it differs from milk bread, the classic shapes and how to use brioche at home, from toast to French toast.

**Brioche is a French bread made from a dough enriched with a generous amount of butter and eggs.** The result is a yellowish, silky crumb that pulls apart in strands, under a thin golden crust. It sits between bread and pastry: it goes to breakfast, turns into French toast and holds a delicate sandwich.

At Santo Pane, brioche is naturally leavened. This guide explains what makes a brioche a brioche, why it is not milk bread and how to make the most of it at home.

## Where does brioche come from?

Brioche appears in French records from the end of the Middle Ages and is linked to dairy regions such as Normandy, famous for its butter. Over time, each region created its own version. Three classic shapes:

-   **Brioche à tête:** the small brioche with a round “head” on a fluted body.
-   **Brioche Nanterre:** balls of dough side by side in a rectangular tin, which rise and merge. It is named after a town next to Paris.
-   **Braided brioche:** the dough divided into strands and braided, common for celebrations.

A curiosity: the phrase “let them eat brioche”, attributed to Marie Antoinette, appears in Rousseau's _Confessions_ attributed only to “a great princess”, in a passage written when Marie Antoinette was still a child. There is no record that she ever said it.

## What is the difference between brioche and milk bread?

Both are soft and slightly sweet, which is why they get confused. The difference lies in what enriches the dough:

|  | Brioche | Milk bread |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fat | A lot of butter. In classic recipes it can reach half the weight of the flour or more | Little fat, often oil or margarine |
| Eggs | Many; they are part of the liquid in the dough | Few or none |
| Main liquid | Eggs, with some milk | Milk |
| Crumb | Yellowish, silky, pulls apart in strands | White, fluffy and even |
| Flavour | Buttery, deep | Mild, sweetish |

Watch out for supermarket “brioche-style” bread, including burger buns: many have little butter or no eggs and use flavouring to recall the original. The ingredient list settles the question; we show how to read it in [How to tell if a bread is truly naturally leavened](/en/jornal/como-saber-se-o-pao-e-de-fermentacao-natural).

## And how is it different from babka?

The dough is from the same family, enriched with butter and eggs. In babka, it is rolled with a filling and braided, and the cut shows spirals; in brioche, the dough itself is the star. We tell the story of babka in [Babka: what it is, where it comes from and how to serve it](/en/jornal/babka-o-que-e-sabores-e-como-servir).

## What is Santo Pane's brioche like?

Most brioches are made with commercial yeast, because butter and sugar make the dough heavy and slow. Making brioche with levain takes patience: the dough ferments slowly and gains a deeper aroma that balances the richness of the butter.

Ours are made with butter, free-range eggs, milk, demerara sugar and a touch of orange zest. Some of the shapes that come out of the bake:

-   **[Brioche Nanterre](/en/produtos/68bf1e7e62ec360dbf1a53b8):** the classic shape, in joined balls, with a silky crumb.
-   **[Mini Brioches](/en/produtos/699ce17b31b430d66cc6a3c8):** a pack of four, sized for children's snacks.
-   **Chocolate mini brioches:** with milk chocolate chips that melt when warmed.
-   **Brioche Duetto:** two doughs intertwined, one orange and one cocoa.

This week's options are on the [menu](/en/cardapio).

## How to use brioche at home

-   **At breakfast.** A thick slice, lightly toasted, with salted butter and jam.
-   **As French toast.** Brioche is the ideal bread for French toast: it absorbs the egg and milk mixture without falling apart. Use brioche that is one or two days old, which absorbs better.
-   **In delicate sandwiches.** Mini brioches split in half with ham, cheese and Dijon mustard, or with scrambled eggs.
-   **In the lunchbox.** A mini brioche warmed for a minute, plain or with cream cheese.
-   **As dessert.** In bread pudding, with fruit and custard.

## How to store brioche

-   **Up to 3 days:** at room temperature, well wrapped, away from heat. The butter keeps the crumb soft.
-   **For longer:** slice and freeze, well wrapped. Take it straight from the freezer to the toaster, a frying pan or the oven at 160 °C for a few minutes.

More tips in our [storage guide](/en/jornal/como-armazenar-aquecer-pao-fermentacao-natural).

## Quick questions

### Does brioche contain lactose and egg?

Yes. Butter, milk and eggs are the essence of the dough. It is not suitable for people with milk or egg allergies; allergens are listed on each product page.

### Is brioche sweet or savoury?

Slightly sweet, which allows both uses: with jam or with ham and cheese.

### Is brioche good for children?

It is one of children's favourite breads because it is so soft. The mini brioches were made for snack time: the right size and no preservatives.

## Where to find naturally leavened brioche in the ABC region

Santo Pane bakes once a week in Ribeirão Pires and delivers with its own fleet to Ribeirão Pires, Rio Grande da Serra, Mauá, Santo André, São Bernardo do Campo, São Caetano do Sul and part of the city of São Paulo. Enter your postcode on [Closer to You](/en/mais-perto) and reserve your brioche from the next bake.

## Orders and questions

- WhatsApp: https://wa.me/5511984807000
- Instagram: @santopaneoficial (https://instagram.com/santopaneoficial)

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