Featured Recipe
Rustic Tropézienne Brioche
By Kate
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Traditional Polish brioche dough, enriched with subtle cardamom replacing lemon zest. Pastis replaces orange blossom water for aromatic depth in custard. Dough proofed until visibly doubled and slightly jiggly; cream strained for velvety texture. Final brioche topped with coarse pearl sugar for crunch contrast. Slicing technique critical for clean layers. Cream spread with spatula to prevent tearing. Egg wash glossy, golden crust the visual cue. Cooling fully before assembly to hold structure. Achieves tender crumb with buttery richness, balanced with fragrant custard punch.
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Prep:
55 min
Cook:
35 min
Total:
Serves:
8 servings
baking
French cuisine
Polish cuisine
Introduction
Cardamom in the dough, not lemon. Twist pastis for that licorice whisper in cream instead of floral orange blossom. Dough tacky, don’t fear. Sticky means rich butter soak coming. Patience key—dough must jiggle gently after proof, not collapse like sad souffle. Custard, strain, cool fully, plastic wrap pressed on surface stops nasty skin. Pearl sugar bursts crunch while egg wash seals moisture. Bake slow enough for golden crackle, avoid burnt bitter edges. Cutting technique? Serrated, gentle, steady. Rushing tears crumb, miserable mess. Old-school French-Polish hybrid, rustic charm meets fragrant twist. Not delicate, robust. Rich and forgiving. The way brioche was meant to be.
Ingredients
Brioche Dough
- 105 g (3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 22 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) granulated sugar
- 3 ml (1/2 tsp) instant dry yeast
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) fine sea salt
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 12 ml (3/4 tbsp) water
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom instead of lemon zest
- 23 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) softened unsalted butter
- 42 g (3 tbsp) sugar
- 22 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) cornstarch
- 11 ml (2 tsp) all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 260 ml (1 cup plus 2 tbsp) hot whole milk
- 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 23 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 2 ml (1/2 tsp) pastis liqueur instead of orange blossom water
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 12 ml (3/4 tbsp) heavy cream or milk
- 23 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) pearl sugar
Pastry Cream
Egg Wash and Topping
About the ingredients
Flour switched to slightly less to balance wet cardamom addition. Cardamom replaces lemon zest—warming, aromatic, subtle spice alters profile without overbearing. Pastis replaces orange blossom water—adds mature anise notes, more grounded than floral. Adjust water accordingly for moisture content in spices and liquid substitutions. Unsalted butter softened but never melted; temperature control during kneading crucial or dough becomes greasy and won’t rise properly. Pearl sugar optional but recommended for crunchy bites and caramelized topping. Egg temperature matters; room temp eggs emulsify better with dry ingredients, leading to silkier dough. Alternative sweeteners can alter texture—white sugar matches best. Plastic wrap tight on custard essential—no skin formation, no bitter patches. If custard overcooks and lumps form, pass through sieve promptly; do not discard. If dough overproofs and starts to collapse, place in fridge immediately to stop fermentation. If no pastis, substitute with equal amount triple sec or leave out, note flavor shifts toward sweeter orange. Can swap cardamom for finely grated orange zest for brighter profile.
Method
Dough Assembly and Fermentation
- In mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, instant yeast, salt. Whisk dry ingredients briefly to blend evenly. Add eggs, water, cardamom. Mix on low speed with dough hook until dough forms shaggy mass. Add softened butter in small pieces. Knead 6 minutes until dough is tacky, elastic but still slightly sticky. Avoid flour additions—sticky dough is normal for brioche. Transfer to lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap. Proof in warm humid spot until dough doubles and jiggles when shaken, about 2 hours plus 10 minutes. Dough that looks fractured or deflates means overproofed—start over or chill dough briefly then re-knead.
- Meanwhile, whisk sugar, cornstarch, flour in saucepan off heat. Add eggs, whisk until smooth. Gradually add hot milk in steady stream, whisk vigorously to combine. Place over medium heat, stir continuously scraping bottom and sides to prevent scorching. After about 5 minutes, mixture thickens to pudding consistency, should coat back of spoon. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and pastis. Pass cream through fine sieve to remove any lumps. Cover surface with plastic directly to prevent skin formation. Let cool to barely lukewarm. Refrigerate min 1 hour until fully chilled and set. Before assembly, fold cream gently to soften and lighten.
- Prepare 20cm (8-inch) springform pan by buttering sides well; line base with parchment, butter parchment. Lightly flour workspace and gently fold dough over 1 minute to degas without tearing structure. Shape into smooth ball. Roll out with light dusting into approx 20cm disk, even thickness, slightly thinner center to encourage even bake. Place in pan snugly. Cover with oiled plastic wrap. Proof again 1hr 25min in warm spot until visibly inflated, puffy, will spring back slowly when poked; avoid overproof—too soft = collapse in oven.
- Place rack mid-oven. Preheat to 175°C (350°F) - temperature adjusted slightly lower for even crust caramelization. Whisk egg and cream into glossy wash. Use pastry brush to coat top of dough evenly, but don’t oversaturate. Sprinkle pearl sugar evenly over surface to create crackly sweet crust. Bake 27 to 30 minutes. Surface should be deep golden brown with crackling sugar caramel spots. Tap lightly base, should sound hollow. If top browns too fast, tent with foil and continue baking. Cool fully on wire rack until completely room temperature. Cooling is critical to set crumb and prevent humidity inside.
- Run thin filet knife around pan edge to loosen gently, unmold. Slice brioche horizontally with serrated knife in 2 equal halves. Avoid sawing motions that compress bread; steady back-and-forth with gentle downward pressure works best. Spoon or spread pastry cream onto bottom half, leaving about 1 cm border clear to avoid cream overflow during serving. Use silicone spatula to spread gently for even layer. Place top half back on. Press lightly to adhere. Keep chilled until serving same day. Allow brioche to come slightly to room temp 15 minutes before slicing for cream to soften but not ooze.
- Serve: thick slices, denser crumb with fragrant cardamom hints, nuanced pastis sweetness. Pair with black coffee or rosé for accent.
Pastry Cream Preparation
Shaping and Final Proof
Oven Setup and Baking
Assembly
Technique Tips
The critical points: mixing till shaggy, then proper kneading time to activate gluten and fully incorporate butter. Dough must be soft but hold shape; resist adding flour—this ruins crumb. Watch proofing visually—doubled volume can mislead; gentle jiggle is more reliable indicator. Whisk pastry cream off heat first to avoid scrambling eggs—add milk gradually to temper. Constant stirring over medium heat prevents lumps and scorching. Straining custard before chilling ensures cream silkiness. Dough shaping should avoid degassing fully—retain bubbles gently for lift. Final proof shorter than original, baked slightly longer to compensate for moisture changes from ingredient swaps. Egg wash done just before oven; dry brush strokes keep sugar intact and prevent dull patches. Baking carried out lower temp to get caramelized crust without burning sugar top. Cooling completely mandatory; if warm when sliced, cream runs and crumb smushes. Store brioche in loosely covered container if not serving immediately to keep crust crisp but crumb soft.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Kneading technique matters. Mix till shaggy, then knead enough to activate gluten. Aim for tacky dough, resist adding excess flour. This makes it soft.
- 💡 Proofing is key. Dough should roughly double in size and jiggle slightly when shaken. If it looks deflated, you’ve overproofed. Time is crucial.
- 💡 Pastry cream prep matters. Whisk sugar, cornstarch, flour first. Gradually add hot milk to avoid lumps. Stir constantly, scraping the bottom prevents scorching.
- 💡 Shaping brioche, be gentle. Fold and roll lightly, keep gas bubbles. This helps with the rise. Use a serrated knife when slicing for clean cuts.
- 💡 Egg wash should be shiny, but don’t oversaturate. Brush evenly. Pearl sugar on top adds crunch. Bake till golden brown; keep an eye on that sugar.
