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Brioche col tuppo

17/11/2023

Brioche col tuppo is a typical dessert from Sicily, especially from the city of Palermo. Their name comes from their shape, which resembles a chignon, or “tuppo” in Sicilian dialect. Here is the recipe to prepare them at home.

Ingredients

  • 500 g of all-purpose flour
  • 100 g of sugar
  • 150 ml of lukewarm milk
  • 100 g of soft butter
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 1 egg for brushing
  • 25 g of fresh yeast
  • The grated zest of 1 untreated lemon
  • A pinch of salt
  • Granulated sugar as needed for decoration

Preparation

  1. Dissolve the fresh yeast in a bowl with the lukewarm milk and a tablespoon of sugar taken from the total.
  2. In a large bowl, place the flour and make a well in the center where you will pour the dissolved yeast in milk, then start kneading.
  3. Add the eggs, soft butter, remaining sugar, salt, and grated lemon zest. Knead well until the mixture is smooth and uniform. (Tip: It might be necessary to do this for several minutes, until the dough doesn’t stick to the bowl’s sides.)
  4. Let the dough rise in a warm place, covered with a damp cloth, until it doubles in volume (about 2 hours).
  5. Take the risen dough and divide it into parts of about 50-60 g each for large brioche, or half if you want to make them smaller.
  6. Form smooth balls, setting aside a portion that will be used to make the “tuppo”. For these, use about a third of the weight of the larger balls.
  7. Make a hole in the center of each large ball and place the “tuppo” on top, pressing it slightly.
  8. Let the shaped brioche rise for about 1 hour, until they double in volume.
  9. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (static).
  10. Beat the remaining egg and brush the brioche, then sprinkle with granulated sugar.
  11. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
  12. Remove the brioche from the oven and let them cool on a rack.

Curiosities

Traditionally, brioche col tuppo are enjoyed in Sicily accompanied by a fresh granita, especially during the summer breakfast. The combination of the softness of the brioche and the freshness of the granita creates a very pleasant contrast on the palate.

Brioche col tuppo