Quick Brioche

In small bowl, whisk yeast into milk, then stir in 1 cup of flour. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Put butter, sugar, and salt in workbowl of food processor fitted with metal blade. Pulse at 1-second intervals, scraping sides of bowl several times, until mixture is soft and smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, and process after each addition until fully incorporated (even though mixture may look curdled). Add remaining 1 1/4 cups flour and yeast/flour mixture from step 1, scraping sides of workbowl with rubber spatula. Pulse at 1-second intervals to form soft, smooth dough. Then process continuously for 15 seconds.

Turn dough (sticky at this point) out onto generously floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic.

Grease an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pan; line the pan bottom with parchment or waxed paper, then grease the paper. Press dough into a 9-by-5-inch rectangle, with the short end facing you. Fold each long side about 1 inch toward the center; press firmly to seal. Fold the top half of the dough toward the center. Fold the bottom half of the dough up past the seam; pinch seam to seal. Place dough in the pan, seam side down. Flatten the dough top with your palm so it fills the pan evenly. Cover the pan with greased plastic wrap, let the dough rise about 1-inch above the pan rim. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat the oven to 350 degrees while the dough is rising.

Using a razor blade or sharp knife, slash the dough down the center, leaving about 1 inch unslashed at either end. Bake until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack; let cool 5 minutes. Turn the loaf out of pan onto rack; let it cool to room temperature on its side.