The problem is that you do have to let the dough rise to temperature, and that can take hours, which you don't have. Regular doughs do fine this way, but challah, at least, if it's a lovely airy one, won't like the whole process. There are some breadier challot which could handle it, but since you're talking brioche, I don't think that's what you mean. But if you're using a dough hook, rather than hand kneading, you can do your mise en place ahead of time, for sure. Then throw the ingredients together and kned, which is like 20 minutes, tops. Let rise while you do something else (keep a timer in your pocket). Punch down and turn 3 minutes, set another timer, and do something else. Turn out and shape, cover, 10 minutes. Set a timer for the shaped rise. Turn on the oven. Do something else. Put loaves in to bake, set timer, do something else. Remove and set to cool and walk away for awhile. The trick is to plan the laundry, paying bills, filing, etc., for while your dough is rising. But if you can't even string together the hours of doing something else, I don't know of a shortcut where you can get the same results. There are some airy sourdoughs that take half a day to rise which might suit better.. Good luck!

I think I would try both of your methods to see if you prefer one result over the other.

I would think shaping, then refrigerating and taking out the next day to come to temp before baking might lead to an overproofed loaf, where shaping it the second day would allow it to rise the proper amount before baking.

I recall having a recipe for brioche that specifically called for an overnight rise ... it was memorable because I was trying to make brioche buns for high school french class and misread that step when I was initially reading the recipe ... had a bit of a panic and was trying to figure out how early I could wake up and was actually trying to decide if I could shorten that rise until my mum offered to finish the brioche for me and drop it off for my afternoon class (I was lucky she was off that day.) I wished that recipe had been so quick as to only take three hours.

If I remember correctly (and it's been a while, so I may be missing a step), the recipe I was following had several rises. I made the dough, let rise for an hour, punched it down, (might have had a second short rise/punch down,) and then it went in the fridge an overnight rise, then in the morning, I think it may have had another punch down and rise, then it got shaped and had a final rise before baking.

I could probably find that recipe if I looked around, but looking in one of my favorite bread books, a simplified recipe for brioche also includes a long rise ... half hour rise, fold, rise, fold, rise, fold, rise, fold, then it gets refrigerated rise 16-48 hours, then it gets shaped, rises again and bakes. Looking in another of my favorite bread books, it also has a 12 hour chilled rise before shaping ...

So, um, long story short: yes, brioche can have an overnight rise ... most recipes I've encountered include one.

Before you just go adding one to the recipe you're using, though, note that the refrigerator step is a rise, it's just a much slower rise, so you can't entirely treat it like a pause button. It's more like time dilation than time stopping. I definitely wouldn't refrigerate shaped dough unless the recipe specifically calls for it ... you may not get the shape you want in the end. Also, keep in mind, when you take dough out of the fridge, as it warms it will rise ... sometimes rather exuberantly; the recipes I've used don't have a step for bringing to room temperature, that just occurs while the dough is being shaped and undergoing its final rise(s).

Another cautionary tale about refrigerated dough:

I was given some extra focaccia dough that a friend had made, and it had been refrigerated for a bit, and well, by the time I got it home, it had pretty much exploded out of the bag I was transporting it in (which was less than a half hour drive, and the car started off at around 0°F.)

Most people I know prepare brioche dough the day before, let it come back to room temp, shape, rise and bake. I'm told making the dough the day before is essential for the flavour and texture.

Yup, I (and my breads cookbooks) agree with Islay Corbel! In fact, lack of advance planning tends to be my biggest issue with bread-making, since most of my favorite breads have an overnight step (either a sponge or an overnight rise in the refrigerator.) The end result of my poor planning usually results in settling for french bread, sandwich bread, or the basic yeast dough from my favorite asian dumpling book (it's used for yummy steamed/pan-fried buns, but the dough bakes well on its own too.)

The only time I do "same day brioche" is when i have forgotten to mix and refrigerate the dough earlier. I have baked rolls 5 days after mixing.. Similar with challah....mix it up and refrigerate....next day bring it out, knock it down and allow to come to room temp and rise....shape rise and bake......actually isn't really necessary to allow to rise after refrigeration before shaping.

The thing is, the overnight in the fridge is for flavor and time for the flour to absorb the moisture. But it doesn't cut down on the work time, just improves the bread, if that's the kind you're making. I've never had a refrigerated dough (except for pizza) do an explosive rise on warming. If it behaves like Blueberry's, you might still get airy.

One of my books actually specifically says not to let it warm up between the chill and shaping, though I'm fairly sure there was another rise before shaping in the recipe I made in high school (but again, that was high school, so I may be misremembering ...)

I haven't made challah in a very long time but do make a fair amount of brioche. The brioche dough is usually so soft that refrigerating also helps with the handling and shaping.

There are a few bakes I do where it goes straight from the fridge to the oven. Usually smaller shapes like rolls (cinnamon rolls) work best for this method.

One favorite is sausage rolls. I'll wrap (like a barber's pole) brioche dough around a breakfast sausage and immediately put in the fridge. Then in the morning I'll pull them out, turn on the oven, and put them in once it comes to temp.

Brioche and sausage!!! I think my husband would love that. It reminds me of this https://www.bobosse.fr/recettes/le-saucisson-brioche

@Islay Corbel I'd never get mine to look that even. The twisting hides my sloppy shaping. I get paid to bring treats to my DH work. It's about 40 men so they go over really well. By request I also make a beer cheese dip to go with them. Always a big hit.