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I haven’t really decided if it’s the tender and billowy texture or subtly rich flavor that makes it the perfect medium for chocolate and sugary, warm spices, but Brioche wantonly reigns supreme in the world of enriched bread. A good stand mixer does most of the manual labor when kneading this bread. Add to that a bit of rolling skill and a little patience and you’ll get a long way with this benevolent dough. Cinnamon filled spirals of dough cloaked with caramelized brown sugar and almonds give this bread a luscious flavor and texture that never fails to delight.
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When the dough first comes together it is shaggy, then begins to change as it is kneaded in a stand mixer. Butter is added and the kneading continues until the dough transforms into a smooth, elastic mass. Watching this happen is a reminder of why I love making this bread.
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Place the dough in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise overnight in the fridge for the best flavor. If you can’t wait that long, let it rise in a warm, draft-free space for at least 6 hours. It will nearly double in size.
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The dough is rolled out and cut into circles. Three circles are placed so they overlap one another, then sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. They are rolled into a rosette, cut and placed in a baking pan.
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Switch it up by filling the dough with Nutella rather than cinnamon and sugar. I usually make one loaf of each filling because both are just that good.
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When the rosettes have risen, drench the top with the brown sugar mixture and sprinkle with slivered almonds. Pop in the oven and bake until golden brown. Your kitchen should have the scent of bakery heaven. Cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes before diving in.
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Layers of cinnamon, caramelized sugar and almonds nestled in a billowy cushion of tender dough hit that sweet spot morning, noon and night. If every last morsel hasn’t been devoured after 2-3 days, you can slice it and make a French toast that borders on the divine. Enjoy!
| Servings |
| 2loaves |
| Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 35-45minutes | 6-24hours |
|
|
- 3cups (384 g) all-purpose flour
- 2cups (280 g) bread flourhigh-gluten
- 3 1/4tsp (12 g/ 1 1/2 pkg) active dry yeastor 28 g fresh yeast
- 1/2cup (95 g) granulated sugarscant
- 1Tbs saltkosher or sea salt
- 2/3cup (155 ml) watercool *
- 5large eggsroom temperature
- 2 3/4sticks (310 g) butter unsaltedroom temperature, cut into 12 pieces
- 1/2cup (113 g) butter unsalted
- 3/4cup (141 g) brown sugarpacked if by cups
- 2 - 3Tbs slivered almondsoptional topping
- 2 - 3Tbs confectioner's sugaroptional, for dusting
- 3/4cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1Tbs cinnamon, groundgood quality
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, combine the all-purpose flour, bread/ high-gluten flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the water and 5 eggs to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until all of the ingredients have come together, about 3 - 4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, as needed.
- Mix the dough on low speed an additional 3 - 4 minutes to knead. The dough will become quite stiff.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the cubed butter to the dough, one piece at a time, continuing to mix the dough for 10-12 minutes. The butter needs to be thoroughly mixed into the dough, so scrape down the sides of the bowl several times, breaking up the dough with your hands , if necessary, to get the butter completely incorporated.
- When the butter is completely incorporated, with no visible pieces of butter in the dough, mix on medium speed for a full 15 minutes, until the dough becomes soft, slightly sticky and a little glossy. Mix on medium-high speed, for 1 minute, until you hear a rapid slap-slap-slap sound from the dough hitting the sides of the bowl.
- Test the dough by gently pulling on a part of it. It should be smooth and elastic and stretch a little without breaking. If it seems too wet, add a small amount of flour, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until incorporated. If it breaks off into pieces, mix on medium speed for an additional 2 - 3 minutes to develop more strength. When lifted, the dough should remain in one piece.
- Place the dough in a bowl or plastic container large enough for it to double in size. Cover with plastic wrap, with the plastic wrap directly on top of the dough, in contact with it. Let the dough proof in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight to develop the flavor.
- Liberally butter two loaf pans (9" x 5"/ 23 cm x 13 cm) OR two round cake pans (9"/ 23 cm) and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Mix the cinnamon and 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar together in a small bowl.
- Divide the dough into halves or quarters, depending on the size of your workspace. Place one quarter/ half of the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, leaving the remaining dough covered with plastic wrap.* Roll the first piece of dough into a rectangle 1/4" (6mm) thick. Cut the dough into circles with a 3" (8 cm) cookie/ biscuit cutter. The uncut dough (trimmings) can be re-rolled. Roll and cut half of the dough or enough to fill the first baking pan, then proceed to the next step to shape the rosettes.
- Overlap the edges of three circles of dough, placing one edge over the other (about 1/2"/ 1.5 cm). Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon-sugar mixture down the center of the overlapping circles, before rolling up the three circles into a 'rosette' shape.* With a sharp knife, cut through the center of the rosette and place each half in the baking pan, cut side down. Place the cut shapes around the border of the pan, then fill in the center. Do not place the dough too snuggly, as they will puff up during the second proofing.
- Repeat the rolling, cutting, filling and shaping steps with the second half of the dough. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap and put in a warm, draft-free place for 2 - 4 hours, or until nearly doubled in size.
- About 20 - 30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Melt 1/2 cup (113 g) butter and the brown sugar together in a small saucepan. Cook on low heat for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- When the dough has proofed a second time, drizzle the melted butter and brown sugar mixture evenly over the top of the dough. Sprinkle with the slivered almonds. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 30 - 45 minutes, until golden brown. Deeper pans/ loaf pans may need 40 - 45 minutes, while cake pans may only need 30 - 35 minutes to finish baking.
- Place pan on a rack to cool for 15 - 20 minutes before removing from pan and peeling off the parchment paper. Dust with confectioner's sugar, if desired. Serve sliced or as a pull-apart bread. Will keep for 2 -3 days at room temperature if stored in an airtight container or wrapped well.
Rolling the dough - when my kitchen is warmer in summer, I keep the unrolled dough in the refrigerator until I am ready to roll it out. I also cut and fill the first pan with the rolled rosettes, before rolling out and cutting the remaining dough, so the each pan's rosettes will rise evenly.
Cutting the dough - if you don't have a round cookie/ biscuit cutter, an inverted glass with a narrow rim, that is about 3" (8 cm) in diameter can be used.
Nutella filling - you can substitute Nutella for the cinnamon-sugar filling, spreading a thin strip of Nutella down the center of the three overlapping circles of dough. Roll up and cut as directed.
Adapted from a recipe by Joanne Chang