Master the Science of Enriched Dough

Read on to find out all about enriched dough, from what it is to its key ingredients, plus tips for perfect dough every time.

Master the Science of Enriched Dough

What Is Enriched Dough?

Enriched dough is a type of yeast dough that contains fats, sweeteners, and proteins. These additional ingredients help the dough become richer, softer and sweeter. Compared to regular bread dough, enriched dough often requires additional steps, where liquid, sweeteners and proteins are first combined, followed by developing the gluten network and then fats and sometimes raw ingredients (nuts, fruits, candies, etc.). This kneading process takes at least 15 minutes, depending on the desired texture, flavor and enriched bread type.

Key Ingredients & Their Roles 

As the name suggests, when you make a rich dough, you’re essentially adding richness to your dough. Think of it as you’re taking your basic dough and decorating it up for a special occasion. Therefore, you can add anything to your dough, including nuts, dried fruits, spices, candies and so on. Aside from the basic bread ingredients, there are key ingredients that are common to most enriched dough recipes:

  1. Sweeteners (Sugar, honey, maple syrup, etc.): Sweeteners mess with the gluten, change the rheological properties, and increase the dough temperature during the baking process, which gives them a moist, tender crumb. 
  2. Milk: Adding milk or buttermilk softens the dough texture and extends the shelf life of its final baked-goods. The proteins and fats in milk help soften the dough and give it a tender texture, while the natural sugars add a light sweetness and help brown the crust during the baking process.
  3. Eggs: These are like a secret agent in every rich dough. The fat in yolks adds richness, while the whites help to bind the dough and provide structure. Additionally, egg wash before baking gives bread a shiny, golden crust.
  4. Fats (butter, oil, etc.): Fats impart unique qualities to sweet dough, making it softer and more flavorful, with slight differences depending on the type of fat used. Butter adds a rich, creamy flavor and helps produce a soft and tender dough by softening the gluten strands. Oils, on the other hand, provide moisture and help produce a soft and tender dough, resulting in lighter and fluffier crumbs.

These key ingredients are what separate enriched dough from its linear counterparts. But remember, making the perfect enriched dough is all about balancing these ingredients to achieve the perfect enriched dough texture and the right hydration level. Too much of good things can lead to a soggy mess or a loaf that browns too quickly. If you are just beginning your baking journey and want to master enriched bread dough, these milk brioche rolls are a great place to start, or read this deep article on how bread ingredients affect the dough.

How Enriched Dough Differs from Lean Dough?

Ingredients: Lean dough sticks to the 4 basic bread ingredients (flour, water, yeast, and salt) , while enriched dough goes all out with ingredients like butter, eggs, and sugar and sometimes nuts, fruits, candies, etc.

Texture: Enriched dough tends to be softer and more tender, while lean dough tends to be chewier and denser. Think of the difference between a baguette dough and star bread dough.

Fermentation times: Eggs, fats, and sweeteners can slow down yeast, causing the dough to rise more slowly.

Mixing method: Enriched bread dough often uses a gentler kneading method and longer kneading time to keep the dough light and fluffy and avoid overheating. 

Here’s a quick summary table:

Lean DoughEnriched Dough
Main IngredientsFlour, Water, Yeast, SaltFlour, Water, Yeast, Salt + Eggs, Milk, Sugar, fats
TextureChewy and DenserSoft and Tender
Rising TimeShorterLonger
Mixing MethodVigorousGentle

How to Knead Enriched Dough

Mastering the kneading of enriched dough is a bit tricky, as it needs a few factors to be successful.

First, let’s talk about how long to knead enriched dough. Generally, you should aim for at least 12-15 minutes of kneading, and it can take longer from type to another. The goal is to combine the ingredients, and then fully develop the gluten to make your dough smoother and more elastic. A good way to check, if you are on the right track, is to do the windowpane test, by stretching a small piece of the dough between your fingers. If it stretches without tearing and you can see a light through it, you’re on the right track. If not, you should continue kneading your dough for an extra few minutes.

Now, let’s talk about techniques. Brioche is an example of enriched bread known for its slightly sticky dough, which makes it difficult to work with. Here are some tips to help you while kneading it:

  1. First, start combining your ingredients at a low speed to ensure everything is mixed without overworking the dough.
  2. Once the dough comes together, increase the mixer speed to medium to develop the gluten network.
  3. Use a bowl scraper to remove any dough stuck to the bowl. This will ensure that all the dough has the same consistency. 
  4. Add the butter when the gluten is fully developed and be sure to set the mixer on low speed again when adding it.

It’s all about patience and practice. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at it. 

Tips for Perfect Enriched Dough Every Time

Use a gluten-Rich Flour

When you’re looking to get the perfect rich dough texture, choosing the right type of flour is key. Although some recipes, such as roll doughs, are made with all-purpose flour, high-protein flours such as bread flour give your dough the strength it needs to hold together despite added fats and sweeteners , and help it rise beautifully and hold its shape. 

Use ingredients at Room Temperature

Don’t rush and knead with cold or hot ingredients. Whether it’s butter, milk or flour, make sure everything is at room temperature before you start making your dough. This helps to blend everything smoothly, making the dough consistent, easy to work with and prevents it from overheating.

knead with a Stand Mixer 

Even if you can make it by hand, a stand mixer is best. Because of  the additional fats, sugars, and eggs, enriched dough can be heavy and sticky. Therefore, a stand mixer is useful for ensuring that all ingredients are well combined and that the gluten network grows homogeneously, as well as providing precise control over the kneading process due its multiple speed settings. 

Let the dough Rest in a cool place. 

Once the dough is mixed and kneaded, you may not get a perfect gluten development. Find a cool place and let it rest for about 30 minutes. This proofing time is known as autolysis, allowing the flour to fully hydrate and the gluten to develop further. It also breaks down some of the complex proteins in flour into simpler components, making the dough easier to handle and improving its extensibility.

Respect the Rising Times

Patience is your best friend during rising times. Enriched bread doughs rise slower than lean doughs. Let it take its time. If the recipe calls to let the dough rise for an hour, give it an hour, no shortcuts! This longer rise is essential for developing flavors and achieving tender crumbs.  

Bake at  320-355°C  (160-180°C)

Keep your oven at moderate temperature. Enriched bread brown quickly, so a lower temperature ensures that your bread bakes evenly without burning the outside. This gentle baking helps to create a soft, golden crust with a perfectly baked interior.

Enriched Bread Examples

 Here’s some popular enriched bread examples:

  • Brioche: Butter-rich bread. Versatile, soft, and sweet, with a generous butter and egg content, it’s ideal for breakfast spreads or one of the best bread for sandwiches like grilled cheese and French toast.
  • Panettone: An Italian festive sweet bread with light airy structure and usually topped with dried fruits, nuts, or chocolate chips, making it a holiday favorite.
  • Babka: Babka is a sweet, twisted bread from Eastern Europe that is usually filled with chocolate or cinnamon. It has visually appealing layers and a tender crumb, making it ideal for any occasion.
  • Challah: A traditional Jewish bread enriched with eggs, which gives it a golden color and rich flavor, making it ideal for both savory and sweet dishes during Sabbath meals.
  • Cinnamon roll: As the name suggests, is a popular sweet bread, enriched with cinnamon. It’s often topped with icing, which offers a soft, fluffy and spice combinations
  • Dinner rolls: Rich and sweet yeast rolls with a soft, flaky and buttery texture, making them a great option for any main dish, but especially for dinner.

Enriched Dough Recipes