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Stuffed Brioche Braid

17/11/2023

The stuffed brioche braid is a rich and indulgent yeast bread, perfect for an appetizing breakfast or snack. Here’s the recipe for a stuffed brioche braid, with an Italian touch: for example, we could opt for a filling with Italian hazelnut cream or local apricot jam.

Ingredients

  • 500 g of manitoba flour
  • 130 ml of lukewarm milk
  • 70 g of sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 100 g of soft butter
  • 1 teaspoon of honey
  • 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 10 g of fresh yeast
  • A pinch of salt
  • Filling of choice (hazelnut cream, jam, chopped chocolate, etc.)
  • 1 egg for brushing
  • Icing sugar for decorating (optional)

Preparation

  1. In a bowl, mix the lukewarm milk with the crumbled yeast and honey until completely dissolved.
  2. In a larger bowl, sift the manitoba flour and make a well in the center, add the sugar, lightly beaten eggs, and start to knead.
  3. Add the milk and yeast mixture and continue to work the dough.
  4. Slit open the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the dough or add the vanilla extract.
  5. Add the soft butter in pieces, a pinch of salt, and knead until the mixture is smooth and elastic. The dough should come off the sides of the bowl.
  6. Form a ball with the dough, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place away from drafts for about 2 hours or until it doubles in volume.
  7. When the dough has risen, take it and deflate it with your fists. Divide it into three equal parts.
  8. Roll out each piece into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface and spread the chosen filling, leaving a free edge all around.
  9. Roll each rectangle of dough upon itself, starting from the long side, to form cylinders.
  10. Braid the three filled cylinders together to form the braid, sealing the ends well.
  11. Transfer the braid to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover with a cloth, and let it rise again for about 1 hour.
  12. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
  13. Brush the surface of the braid with a beaten egg to give it a nice golden color.
  14. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the brioche braid becomes golden.
  15. Let cool on a wire rack before dusting with icing sugar, if desired.

Trivia

Brioche is a very versatile sweet of French origin. In Southern Italy, especially in Sicily, it is often used as a base for ice cream, while in some regions, it is also proposed in a savory version. The stuffed brioche braid, with its beautiful appearance and the possibility to vary the fillings, is perfect for impressing guests during holidays or Sunday brunches.