Last week was croissant bread, where we kept the butter cold and separate so it could make layers. This week we flip it completely. We’re melting the butter all the way in for the softest, richest crumb you’ve ever pulled out of a loaf pan. The bread is brioche. Buttery, golden, tender enough to pull apart with your fingers. But we’re not making it the ordinary way. Here’s the twist. We’re starting with a tangzhong, that little cooked flour and milk paste that lets bread stay soft for days. And instead of beating the butter in later, we’re melting it right into the tangzhong while it’s still warm and cooling. Why does that matter? The tangzhong pre-cooks the starch so the dough can hold more moisture. Folding the butter in at that stage carries the richness deep into the crumb from the very first step. You end up with a softer, more evenly buttery loaf that stays fresh longer. Same ingredient as last week. Completely different job. Cold butter builds layers. Melted butter builds softness. That’s the whole lesson. I’m baking mine today and I’ll bring you the results. Recipe details are coming this week, and we bake together Saturday. So tell me: who’s ready to go from flaky to pillowy soft this week? Perfection is not required. Progress is. Henry ⭐🔥

Just did the poke test on mine. One hour in. Already ready. I know it sounds backwards. Two eggs, an extra yolk, oil, honey, you’d think all that richness would slow the proof down. It doesn’t. In my kitchen, challah proofs fast and it’ll get away from you if you’re not paying attention. So set a timer if you want, but trust your eyes more. Start checking at 45 minutes. Poke test, light pressure, dough should spring back slowly and leave a small indent. That’s your window. Don’t walk away thinking you’ve got two hours. You might have one. Henry ⭐🔥

My friend Challah Prince put together some great videos on how to braid challah. Fast, fun, easy to follow. Watch a couple, pick your favorite, then try it Saturday. Enjoy. Henry ⭐🔥

His name is @David Smith . We crossed the line today, bakers. One thousand members. And the seat we'd been holding for that milestone moment now belongs to David, out of Bothell, Washington. David found us through a friend, joined quietly, and is already showing up. He loves fishing, cooking, and learning Greek. The kind of person who appreciates a process that takes time and rewards attention. That tracks with bread, doesn't it. David, welcome. You picked a good crew. Jump into the feed when you're ready and introduce yourself. Tell us what you're hoping to bake, what you've already tried, or what's been giving you trouble. Whatever you bring, this room will meet you where you are. To the rest of you: this milestone belongs to all of us. Every conversation, every Saturday bake-along, every loaf you posted whether it worked or didn't. Every time you answered another baker's question before I got there. That's what one thousand looks like. Shannon at 800. Amanda at 900. David at 1,000. And we're just getting started. Perfection is not required. Progress is. Henry ⭐🔥

Last week I secured a new domain for the Recipe Pantry, much easier to remember and find: www.recipepantry.app You’ll also notice an orange bar at the top of the Recipe Pantry that lets you save a thumbnail to your desktop or phone, just like any other app. Always with you, no more hunting. Whenever I make changes or add a recipe, a banner will appear on your screen after a few moments letting you know there’s an update. Just click it and the app updates. Bob’s your uncle. You can also refresh your screen to do the same thing. Let me know if you run into any problems or spot anything I need to fix. ~ Henry ⭐🔥