logo
‘For indulgence, brioche is king' – the sweet, buttery bread stealing sourdough's crown

‘For indulgence, brioche is king' – the sweet, buttery bread stealing sourdough's crown

The Guardian19-05-2025
'You shouldn't have to fight your sandwich,' says Sacha Yonan, his voice rising to compete with the noise of London's Soho on a Tuesday morning. Within half an hour, queues for the sandwiches at Crunch, the cafe he co-founded earlier this year, will be snaking out of its doors. Its secret? Fresh brioche, which comes toasted and filled with ingredients that give the place its name, including southern-fried chicken, baby pickles and lettuce. 'We love a sourdough,' says Joni Francisco, his Crunch co-founder. 'But if you're talking about sandwiches, then you need something with an easier mouthfeel.'
Could brioche be the new sourdough? Insofar as anything can be, sourdough being to bread what black is to fashion. In 2023, the humble white sliced loaf was hailed as a better sandwich bread than sourdough, the sourfaux scandal continues to rumble and, while we're not baking sourdough at home with quite the same zeal as we were during lockdown, our lust for the real deal is still very much around.
What's new is the popularity of brioche beyond burger buns, fuelled by bakers who have come to appreciate its versatility. 'People in the UK understand brioche to mean any sweet, buttery white bread,' says baker James Morton, author of The Big Book of Bread: Recipes and Stories From Around the Globe. 'But proper brioche has a long fermentation time, and a lot of good French butter whipped into the dough after it's kneaded. It shouldn't have lots of sugar; the sweetness should come from the butter and that long, slow fermentation, which gives it a more complex taste.'
Today, you're as likely to find it in at lauded restaurants like London's Sabor and The Shed in Swansea – plus cult bakeries like Edinburgh's Krema and London's Le Spot, a brioche-centric spot serving pulled oxtail brioche buns and brioche octopus hotdogs – as you are at Gail's (where it's blueberry-flavoured) or your average burger bar. 'It's buttery and springy and when you toast it you get those seared edges and slight bitterness from the toasting, which offsets heavier flavours,' says chef Jonathan Woolway of The Shed, of brioche's appeal in more rarefied settings. He serves his with game liver parfait.
Inevitably, supermarkets have seen rising sales, too, though their brioches have none of the fine butter or long fermentation time that Morton mentions. Emilie Wolfman, trends manager at Waitrose, describes brioche as this summer's 'go to bread', and the store sells own-brand burger and hotdog buns, and a brioche loaf.
As with many foods, its origin story is steeped in mystery. The Oxford Companion to Food says the word has been in use since the 15th century and derives from the verb 'broyer' –to break up – which refers to the prolonged kneading process. It is an enriched bread, which means it contains fat (in this case butter and eggs) as well as bread's standard trinity of flour, yeast and water. These luxury additions, along with the involved kneading process, meant that for centuries, brioche was a way flaunting wealth. 'In the 17th and 18th centuries, these ingredients were expensive. Butter was more expensive than beef,' says Dr Neil Buttery, aptly named food historian and author of Knead to Know: A History of Baking. Brioche moved around the upper classes and royal courts of Europe, becoming 'butterier, richer and eggier over the years', he continues.
It's what Marie Antoinette was supposedly referring to when she suggested the starving poor eat cake in place of bread: 'Qu'ils mangent de la brioche.' Except Antoinette never actually said that. 'The phrase derives from German folklore, long before the French Revolution,' Buttery says. Still, the Antoinette fable is a useful indication of brioche's status. As with many things connected to class, 'aspiration has since brought brioche down', he says – but unlike chandeliers or designer handbags, connotations of luxury still linger. 'You feel a bit richer when you eat a brioche,' says Benoit Blin, chef patissier at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxfordshire and a judge on Bake Off: The Professionals, who serves his with poached lobster.
In part this is because it's French, and 'we revere French food, and their attitudes toward it', says Morton. Blin, who is French, puts this down to it seeming more artisanal than your average bun. '[One] associates burger buns with mass produced, highly processed food,' he says, so brioche buns became a way for classier burger joints to distinguish themselves. 'It's relatable, homely and reminds you of being a child,' says Crunch's Yonan – almost irrespective of where you grew up.
Thanks to colonialism, globalisation and the agricultural revolution, which spread wheat to every corner of the globe, iterations of white enriched breads exist the world over. 'Bakers are for the most part working with the same ingredients,' says Morton, whose Big Book of Bread boasts numerous variations. 'So many breads are only mildly different – though with fierce defensiveness over them!' There is challah of the Jewish diaspora, babka of eastern Europe, concha of Mexico, pão doce of Portugal and milk breads of Britain and Japan. All are popular with everyone, but particularly children, being white, soft and slightly sweet thanks to that 'enrichment' of milk or butter. Brioche might feel like one of the most French foods imaginable, but you don't have to be French for it to make you feel at home.
Like the crumpets of 2019, which appeared adorned with everything from braised mutton to lobster, it also taps into newstalgia: the neologism for our growing need, in unstable times, to experience the familiar bound up with the fresh. 'Everyone knows they are supposed to be eating real, healthy, wholegrain sourdough,' says Jonny Lake, chef and co-owner of Trivet in Bermondsey, which serves a brioche bun with pickles and beef tongue. 'But sometimes what you are looking for is toasted white bread.'
In short, post-pandemic, sourdough has become too ubiquitous to impress diners. 'Everyone was baking sourdough when we were coming up with Crunch in 2021. We wanted to offer something different,' says Francisco. After months of experimentation, they developed a brioche made with a sourdough culture, to create a more structured bread that could hold sauce, and which people notice. 'When people think of [us], they think of the bread first,' he says.
Brioche is not the new sourdough – and that's a good thing, says Morton. Neither our environment nor our health can sustain eschewing regeneratively farmed wholegrain loaves in favour of refined white bread enriched with butter – not on a daily basis. But as a luxurious addition to our glorious gastronomic scene, it is as welcome as its warm, yielding dough is. 'You don't have to fight it,' Yonan says triumphantly. 'For indulgence, brioche is king.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

The mammoth £5M house renovation project in upmarket Hampstead that 'shocked' Cat Deeley before she split from Patrick Kielty after 12 years of marriage
The mammoth £5M house renovation project in upmarket Hampstead that 'shocked' Cat Deeley before she split from Patrick Kielty after 12 years of marriage

Daily Mail​

time2 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

The mammoth £5M house renovation project in upmarket Hampstead that 'shocked' Cat Deeley before she split from Patrick Kielty after 12 years of marriage

They announced they had split after 12 years of marriage on Tuesday. But Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty happily purchased a 'forever home'. in 2023 - a derelict 1950s house in Hampstead, north London which set them back £5million. But with Patrick working in Ireland and Cat fronting This Morning in London, the project might have led the marriage to breaking point as Cat previously admitted to feeling 'shocked' by the magnitude of the process. Cat previously documented the journey on social media, candidly sharing with fans the hidden stresses that can come with a huge renovation. In a video from February 2024, Cat admitted: 'I'm not going to lie, I got a bit of a shock today. Not much house, lots of air.' Sources told Daily Mail the couple's renovation plans put 'additional stress' on the couple's marriage. Cat has documented the journey on social media, candidly sharing with fans the hidden stresses that can come with a huge renovation (pictured) Cat documented how the 1950s property was stripped back, with ambitions to create a grand entrance hall, demolish a living room mezzanine floor and extend the bedrooms and terrace. The five-bedroom home is also said to have a 'nanny suite', guest room, his and hers dressing rooms, a bar, snug and children's play area planned, while the existing garage will be converted into a 'boot room' and office. After Cat and Patrick bought the house, photos submitted as part of their planning application showed plaster peeling off the walls. Bedrooms were described as being in a 'very poor' state while many of the finishes were described as being broken or torn out by previous owners. The Grand Designs-style makeover hoped to see their 'disjointed' and 'awkward' dwelling turned into an ultra-modern dream home. The house was built on a steep slope in 'an inverted arrangement' with living rooms on the upper floor and bedrooms at garden level. They also applied for permission to build an external staircase, roof-lights and a new car port, front garden and gate. In a design statement, their architect said: 'The proposed external appearance builds on the inherent character of the existing house but updates it into a contemporary dwelling both in use and character. 'It is inspired by mid-twentieth design ranging from the designs of Alvar Aalto to houses of the west coast of America which are familiar to the clients who spent many years living there. 'Materials have also been introduced that connect the clients to their previous home in LA and to places that have significant memories for them. 'The design remodels a 1950 brick and concrete house with new and rear extensions, extensive internal alterations, adjustments to the blade roof form to bring natural light into the heart of the house.' Previous planning applications by former owners proposed the demolition of the property and a new home built instead. But the couple's planning agent said: 'The existing dwelling has some many positive qualities which the owners wish to build on and strengthen. There are other aspects of the existing house which need improving. 'It has been unoccupied for many years and is in a poor state of repair. The internal layout of the house and split levels makes the house feel disjointed and awkward at times. It is very dark in the centre of the house on both floors. 'The brief from the client is to improve the internal layout of the house which is currently very fragmented and non-functional, through some internal alterations. 'The proposal is to keep the principal character and identity of the existing house, to renovate, extend and upgrade the fabric along with internal alterations to reflect modern day family living.' Designs for Cat and Patrick's luxury living room, complete with fireplace Confirming their split in a joint statement, on Tuesday they said: 'We have taken the decision to end our marriage and are now separated. There is no other party involved. 'We will continue to be united as loving parents to our children and would therefore kindly ask for our family privacy to be respected. There will be no further comment.' Cat and Patrick first met in 2002 while they hosted BBC talent show Fame Academy, however sparks didn't fly between the couple until 10 years later. After being friends for years, their friendship turned to romance thanks to his major gesture when he flew all the way from Belfast to Los Angeles for brunch with Cat. Since 2023, Kielty has maintained a gruelling schedule, commuting to Dublin to present The Late Late Show while also hosting Saturday mornings on Radio 5 Live. The couple lived in California for over 14 years as she presented So You Think You Can Dance but they put their Beverly Hills mansion on the market for $4.9 million (£3.8 million). They moved back to North London in 2020, prior to Cat securing her job at This Morning amid fears of gun violence following an incident in which Patrick had to hide from a gunman in a Los Angeles mall.

There's two things in Myleene Klass's cheating bombshell that don't make sense... and I know exactly why that is: LIZ JONES
There's two things in Myleene Klass's cheating bombshell that don't make sense... and I know exactly why that is: LIZ JONES

Daily Mail​

time3 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

There's two things in Myleene Klass's cheating bombshell that don't make sense... and I know exactly why that is: LIZ JONES

Another day, another sordid tale of a weak man cheating on his intelligent, successful, drop-dead gorgeous wife. Last week we had the kisscam-dodging tech bro at a Coldplay concert. This week Myleene Klass, 47, former Hear'Say pop star and classically trained pianist, revealed on the We Need To Talk podcast that she caught her now ex-husband in a clinch with another woman. At her very own birthday party. On a balcony in her very own house. they got married.

EastEnders fans demand character is axed over bizarre new storyline
EastEnders fans demand character is axed over bizarre new storyline

The Sun

time3 minutes ago

  • The Sun

EastEnders fans demand character is axed over bizarre new storyline

EASTENDERS fans are demanding the axe falls on Suki Panesar after a bizarre new storyline. The businesswoman - who is played by actress Balvinder Sopal in the BBC soap - discovered her step-grandaughter Avani was pregnant earlier this month. 2 2 It came after Avani slept with abusive incel Joel Marshall in the controversial storyline. But things took a dark twist recently when Avani decided to have a termination and Suki tried to stop her. And in a further bizarre twist, Suki, a mother of four already, decided she was desperate for another baby - specifically Avani's. She has convinced Avani to have the baby and give it to her and wife Eve to raise it. However, Eve doesn't know of Suki's plan and has not yet even agreed to change her mind about having children. The entire storyline has seen viewers turn on Suki and call for her to be axed. One wrote: 'Suki is just so vile right now. 'The worst she's ever been, which is such a terrible shame after she's been so excellent for the last few years. 'I was such a huge Suki stan until literally this last fortnight.' A second said: '[EastEnders] is ruining Suki. I'd rather her be axed now than see this continue. So grim.' EastEnders reveals New Year's Day bloodbath survivors - and who DIES Another added: 'You cannot defend Suki and say that her behaviour is 'in character' or a 'trauma response' when it's actually just bad writing and controversy for controversy's sake.' A fourth commented: 'Years of character development erased in a fortnight. Time for Suki to go.' Darkest soap storylines Over the years the likes of EastEnders, Emmerdale and Coronation Street have all tried to try outdo each other with their outlandish plots in a bid to keep us tuning in each week. But here are some of the darkest that had fans in shock... EastEnders: Tony grooming Whitney (2008-2009) - Tony King first appeared in Albert Square in 2008 as the boyfriend of Bianca, played by Patsy Palmer. But it was quickly revealed he was a paedophile who had been grooming vulnerable Whitney, Bianca's adopted stepdaughter from a previous relationship, since she was 12. The shocking storyline attracted more than 200 complaints within a week of it beginning. Whitney waited until her 16th birthday to reveal the truth to a horrified Bianca, who called the police. Emmerdale: Holly's drug addiction and shock death (2010-2016) - In 2010, Holly Barton (played by Sophie Powles) became Emmerdale's first teenage drug addict. The shocking storyline saw her taking cocaine on a night out before developing a deadly heroin habit. Parents John and Moira desperately tried to help get their daughter clean but when Holly returned in 2016, following a four-year absence, she quickly relapsed. Fans were left stunned and heartbroken when distraught Moira found Holly dead in her bed from a heroin overdose. Hollyoaks: Luke's rape (2000) - Actor Gary Lucy was just 17 when he took on this groundbreaking storyline, which saw his character Luke Morgan become soap's first male rape victim. Luke had endured a long-running bullying campaign by football rival Mark Gibbs - who raped him after Luke stood up to him. Luke was left suicidal following the brutal attack, before opening up to his brother Adam. Gibbs was sentenced to eight years in prison. Gary won the Best Actor gong at the British Soap Awards in 2000 for his performance. Coronation Street: Evil Richard Hillman (2001-2003) - Just a mere mention of 'Richard Hillman' is enough to send a shiver down the spines of soap fans. He is often ranked one of the most evil soap villains and it's not hard to see why. The smooth-talking financial adviser bashed his ex-wife Patricia over the head with a shovel. In a bid to keep his mother-in-law Audrey quiet, he set fire to her house. And when Maxine caught him trying to murder Emily Bishop, he took a crowbar to her head. He made his exit from the cobbles in 2003 when he drove Gail Platt, played by Helen Worth, and her family into the canal. They survived, but he didn't.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store