Mini Brioches (with or without fruits)
Brioche baking in the oven then cooling off in my parents’ kitchen was the best scent ever!
Then the first bite into a large slice of brioche made me happy. And if my mother was making her inimitable dark hot chocolate to drink in I was in pure heaven!
When visiting any bakery or Parisseries with my parents when my family was getting their favorite treats “Millefeuilles”,”Baba au rhum” and “chocolate eclair” I was more into Viennoiseries . Brioches was always my favorite sweet treat.
When we moved to the States it was pretty challenging to find a good decent brioche. I am not even sure I found a great one, otherwise I would remember.
So after trying the brioche in a standard Brioche I found these cute mini Brioche molds at William-sonoma store (Made in France) and I grab them knowing I wanted t make mini brioche… soon!
I made these brioche with and without fruits. Again I have another food memory when I was very young we used to visit our family who was living in Dordogne France, in a Little fairy tale village called Hautefort. My father’s uncle family were living in a very, very old house located at the foot of the majestuous casttle: Le Chateau de Hautefort.. See below the picture of the castle where you can see the houses all around it. My house’s family is in one of the white house the most lower down.
And we used to buy at the local boulangerie some stunning fruits brioche cake… I guess they were the best cakes I ever ate. Unfortunately I do not remember what happened to the boulager “bread maker” who was making these cakes,but one day we return to vivit our family and when asked if we could get the famous fruits brioche cakes my father’s aunt told me that the baker was not there anymore. I was so sad. I wish this baker knew how I loved his cakes!
Mini-fruits Brioches
Makes: 6 mini brioches
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp warmluke milk
2 Tbsp + 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp dry instant yeast
2 Tbsp sugar, divided
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 tsp salt
6 Tbsp butter. at room temperature
1 cup frest fruits cut in tiny pieces (apricots, peaches, pear…) optional
Sugar pearls optional
Stir the milk, ½ Tbsp sugar, the yeast together and let sit for about 5 minutes until little bubbling forms at the surface and it becomes cloudy.
Add the flour, remaining sugar, eggs and salt to the first mixture and stir using a wooden spoon. Gently add the butter while mixing and once incorporated. At this point you may want to switch to mixer with a dough hook attachment and beat until the butter is completely. You should have a smooth dough now. Place the dough in a large oiled bowl, cover with plastic and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour .
To shape the mini brioches, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 6 pieces. Shape into balls. Place each ball in an buttered mini brioche mold (see picture) for plain brioche or use tartlets tin for fruits ones.if using fruits
Add 2-3 pieces of fruits inside each brioche pressing them into it.
Cover the mold with a wet tea towel and let rise for 90 minutes, until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Sprinkle sugar pearls and place the brioche mold on a baking tray and bake for about 15-20 minutes, until a it is golden. Cool the brioche for 10 minutes, then turn the brioche out of the molds to cool completely.
These brioches were delicious the same day but also really good the next 2 days!
Bon Appetit!
NB If you want plain brioches just omit the fruits
