Makes 10 to 12
The children will be so pleased with themselves after mastering these buns. Serve them for Sunday brunch or prepare mini ones for a casual coffee morning for mums and dads from school. If you don’t have special brioche moulds, just make a loaf.
2 tsp dried yeast
2 tbsp golden caster sugar
125ml warm milk
3 eggs
450g strong white bread flour, divide in ½
½ tsp salt
160g butter, softened
3 to 4 cardamom pods
100g chocolate drops
Egg wash, beaten, for glazing
- In a large mixer bowl, dissolve the yeast, sugar and warm water and allow to foam. Insert the whisk attachment add one egg at a time, beating after each addition until the mixture is combine. Add ½ the flour. Change to the dough hook attachment and continue to work on a low speed for 5 minutes. Add the remaining flour and beat again for a further 5 minutes. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight (you can keep it up to 24 hours in the fridge).
- In the meantime, dry roast the cardamom pods until the pods burst open, Discard the husks and crush the seeds in a pestle and mortar.
- Brush your brioche tray or moulds with oil.
- Allow the dough to come to room temperature. Beat the butter into the dough, adding in a tbsp or 2 of flour if you feel that it is too sticky. Add the crushed cardamom seeds and chocolate drops to the dough. Allow to rise for a further 2 hours or until it doubles in size.
- Divide the dough into 24 balls – 12 balls that are smaller for the top of the brioche. There are a few ways of shaping. Place a smaller ball on top, and using a floured handle of a wooden spoon, push through the centre of the dough OR shape the smaller ball into a point at the one end, make a small hole in the larger ball and fit them together and place in the tin.
- Loosely cover with oiled plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Brush with egg wash and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
Good living