Brioche Swirl Buns
Another brunch/sweet snack idea today, you can either do this pastry cream and chocolate filled brioche in individual buns or as a cake. You can also replace the chocolate chips by raisins soaked in rum.
I usually like to start making brioche the day before, just because it requires some proofing and resting, if you do so I would recommend making the pastry cream at the same time. If you decide to fill it with raisins instead of chocolate, you can soak them the day before too.
As I live by myself, I usually like to bake a small batch of what I make and freeze the rest. This way, I can bake some of these brioche buns in a few weeks, and they will still be as good!
For the brioche buns, I do the whole process, and when they are egg-washed and ready to go in the oven, I freeze some of them on a tray before storing them in a container – If you do so, cut some parchment paper squares so that it’s easier to move and store. Just don’t forget to defrost them in the fridge a few hours before baking, or even for the whole night!
Brioche Swirl Buns
Ingredients
Brioche
- 250 g flour
- 50 g egg 1 egg
- 87 ml milk warm
- 37 g sugar
- 4 g salt
- 3 g dry instant yeast
- 62 g unsalted butter room temperature
Pastry cream
- 167 ml milk
- 33 g sugar
- 33 g egg less than one egg, keep the rest for the egg wash
- 10 g cornstarch
- 1 drop vanilla extract
- 10 g unsalted butter
Rum Syrup
- 100 g water
- 100 g sugar
- 1 tbsp rum
⅓ cup dark chocolate chips – 60 g
The Pastry Cream
In a pot, heat up the milk with half of the sugar.
Mix together the rest of the sugar with the cornstarch and whisk in the eggs.
Once the milk starts boiling, pour some of it in the egg mix and whisk, transfer back in the pot and cook on medium heat until it thicken. Don’t stop whisking!
Add the vanilla and the butter, mix until incorporated and pour in a container. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
The Brioche
In the bowl of a stand mixer, weigh the flour, the instant dry yeast, the sugar and the salt – keep them separated from each others.
Pour in the eggs and the milk and mix with the hook on low speed for about a minute, add the butter in pieces and increase the speed to medium. Mix for about 12 minutes until the dough gets elastic.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled container, cover, and proof for about 2 hours.
Once the dough has risen, degas and shape into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or the night!
Making The Brioche Swirl Buns
Remove the dough from the fridge 15 minutes before starting.
In the meantime, prepare your baking sheet lined with parchment, the chocolate chips, your tools…
Roll the dough in a rectangle, and cut the edges with a knife – mine was 12 x 10 inches.
Spread the pastry cream with a spatula, leaving about one inch free on one side – the end part when you’re going to roll the brioche. Humidify it with a bit of water.
Sprinkle with the chocolate chips.
Roll the dough up, cut in six equal pieces – 1,5 inch high – and reshape them a bit by opening them up, put on your baking sheet.
Proof for about 2 hours – I use my oven where I place a dish with hot water.
When proofed, preheat the oven to 350°F. Egg-wash the brioche and bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown.
Prepare the syrup while the brioche is baking, boil the water together with the sugar until it’s dissolved. Remove from the stove and mix in the rum. Glaze the brioche buns as soon as they get out of the oven.
