Brioche dough can look a little daunting, but I assure you this recipe has a few of the time consuming steps removed.  The results are as brioche should be light, enriched and with a wonderful soft texture.  I topped it with some creamy mascarpone and tangy roasted rhubarb.  

They not only looked and tasted stunning.

This wonderful recipe for brioche can be used for sweet or savoury.

Preparation time — 4 .5 hours

Cooking time - - 20 minutes

Skill - moderate

Makes 12

Ingredients

250g full fat milk

2 eggs (medium)

500g strong flour

7g instant dried yeast

80g caster sugar

10g fine salt

80g cold unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

Roast rhubarb

500g fresh rhubarb, cut into finger lengths

¾  cup sugar

1 orange, zest and juice

Mascarpone or cream cheese filling

150g mascarpone or cream cheese, 

2 egg yolks

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp cornflour

2 Tbsp caster sugar

Method

Begin by making the brioche as this needs time to develop.

Put the milk and eggs into the bowl of a mixer.

Add the flour.

Add the yeast and sugar to one side of the bowl. 

Add the salt to the other.

Break up the butter and add to the mix.

Using a dough hook, slowly mix the dough for 5 minutes.

Turn up the speed and continue kneading for 10 minutes.  You will notice the dough will come away from the sides of the bowl and the texture will have a gloss and the dough will be very elastic.

Lightly dust your work bench with a little flour, Gently turn out the dough and without kneading the dough you want to bring it together without knocking out the air.

Lightly grease a large bowl and place in the dough, cover with a cloth and let it double in size (2 hours).

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide into 12 even size pieces. Form the into balls.

Lightly grease 2 oven trays and place the balls onto the trays allowing plenty of space between.

Using your fingers, gently press into the centre of each ball and spread out the middle to make a small pocket (3cm diameter)  to put your filling. Cover loosely and allow to prove for another 30 minutes.

While the dough is proving, roast the rhubarb and make the filling.

To roast the rhubarb.  Preheat the oven 190 C (170 C fan-forced)

Place the cut rhubarb in a single layer in oven dish, sprinkle over the sugar, orange zest and orange juice.

Place in the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes or until it is just tender.  Remove and let cool.

To make the filling, place the mascarpone or cream cheese into a small mixing bowl and whip to aerate and to remove any lumps.

To assemble. Gently press the centre once again with your fingers to ensure you have a space for the filling.

Spoon (or pipe)  in about 1 tablespoon of the mascarpone filling.

Place two rhubarb pieces on top.

Bake in a preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden.

Enjoy