Description
Brioche Suisse is a luxurious French pastry combining a rich, buttery brioche dough filled with smooth vanilla pastry cream and semi-sweet chocolate chips. This recipe involves making a tender and fluffy brioche dough, a creamy vanilla custard, and assembling the pastry into elegant, golden-brown rolls brushed with a shiny sugar glaze.
Ingredients
Brioche Dough
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 25 g granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1.5 tsp instant yeast
- 2 large eggs
- 60 g whole milk (lukewarm)
- 85 g unsalted butter (softened and cubed)
Pastry Cream
- 240 g whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 20 g cornstarch
- Pinch of salt
- 20 g unsalted butter
Assembly and Finishing
- 80 g semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 large egg (or leftover egg white) + 1 tbsp water (for egg wash)
- 50 g sugar
- 60 g boiling water
Instructions
- Make the Brioche Dough: In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook, combine lukewarm milk, yeast, and 1 tsp sugar. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. Add remaining sugar, eggs, flour, and salt to the bowl. Mix on low speed until a thick, slightly sticky dough begins forming. Continue mixing for 5 minutes to develop gluten.
- Knead the Dough: Increase mixer speed to medium and knead the dough for 5 minutes until it pulls away from the bowl sides. Gradually add softened butter a few cubes at a time, ensuring each addition is fully incorporated. Continue kneading for 10-15 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- First Proof: Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until doubled in size. Alternatively, refrigerate overnight for enhanced flavor and easier handling.
- Prepare Pastry Cream: Heat milk and vanilla paste in a saucepan until steaming; remove from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, salt, and cornstarch until pale. Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until thickened and bubbling, about 45-60 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Transfer to a bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap, and chill until completely cold.
- Shape Brioche Suisse: If dough was not refrigerated overnight, chill for at least 1 hour to firm up butter. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface into a 30×25 cm (12×10 inch) rectangle. Whisk the cold pastry cream to loosen, then spread evenly over half the dough length. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the cream. Fold the uncovered half of the dough over the filling and gently seal edges.
- Cut and Second Proof: Cut the folded dough into 6 even strips approximately 5 cm (1.5 inches) wide. Place strips on parchment-lined baking sheets spaced slightly apart. Cover and let rise for 45-60 minutes or until puffy.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Egg Wash: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Prepare egg wash by whisking 1 large egg or leftover egg white with 1 tablespoon water.
- Bake: Brush risen pastries with egg wash. Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
- Glaze: While baking, mix boiling water and sugar until sugar dissolves. Immediately after removing pastries from oven, brush them generously with this sugar syrup while still hot to give a glossy finish.
Notes
- Refrigerating the dough overnight improves flavor and makes shaping easier.
- Ensure the milk is lukewarm when activating the yeast; too hot can kill yeast.
- Pastry cream must be fully cooled before spreading to prevent dough becoming soggy.
- Chilling the dough after initial proof helps firm the butter for easier rolling and folding.
- Brush with sugar syrup while hot for a shiny, sweet glaze.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snack, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
