Miniature Brioche Recipes

MINI BRIOCHE A TETE

Steps:

• Place milk and yeast in a small bowl; stir to dissolve.
• Place flour, salt, and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment; add yeast mixture and mix on low speed to combine and knead, about 5 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a spatula; knead on medium speed until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, mix together butter and sugar. Add a few small pieces of butter mixture to dough; with the mixer on low, add remaining butter mixture, a little bit at a time. When all the butter mixture has been added, increase speed and continue mixing until smooth, shiny, comes away from the sides of the bowl, and is elastic, 6 to 10 minutes.
• Butter a large bowl, transfer dough to prepared bowl, and cover with plastic wrap; let stand in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Lift dough from bowl and drop back into bowl to deflate; repeat process once or twice. Cover bowl and transfer to refrigerator to chill for at least 8 hours and up to overnight.
• Butter 16 mini brioche molds measuring 3 1/2 inches across tops and 2 inches across bottoms. Place on a baking sheet. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces, each about 2 1/2 ounces. Cut 1/2-ounce pieces from each piece of dough and set aside.
• Shape large pieces into balls and place one piece in bottom of each mold. Press two fingers into the centers to make deep indentations. Shape small pieces of dough into balls and roll them at an angle into an elongated oval. Lightly flour a finger and gently press narrow ends of ovals into indentations in the large balls so that only top parts are left visible.
• In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and milk. Brush dough with egg yolk mixture, reserving remaining. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with nonstick cooking spray; cover dough, cooking spray-side down and let stand in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees (if using a convection oven; 425 degrees on a conventional oven).
• Working from the outside inward, brush each brioche very lightly with reserved egg yolk mixture. Using a pair of very sharp scissors make four to five 1 1/4-inch deep cuts around the large pieces of dough. Transfer molds to oven and bake until brioche just begins to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees (on a convection oven; 375 degrees on a conventional oven) and continue baking until deep golden-brown and internal temperature reaches 205 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 5 to 10 minutes more.
• Remove from oven and let brioche cool in mold for 5 minutes. Unmold onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

MINIATURE BRIOCHE

Steps:

• Measure carefully, placing all ingredients except milk, egg yolk and sugar crystals in bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer.
• Select Dough/Manual cycle. Do not use delay cycles.
• Grease medium bowl. Place dough in greased bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 4 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Grease 12 regular-size muffin cups. Punch down dough. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Cut 4 balls into 3 pieces each; roll into small balls. Place 12 large balls in muffin cups. Flatten and make an indentation in center of each with thumb. Place 1 small ball in each indentation. Cover and let rise in warm place 50 to 60 minutes or until double in size.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Mix milk and egg yolk; gently brush over tops of rolls. Sprinkle with sugar crystals. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Serve warm.

MINI BRIOCHE ROLLS

Steps:

• Combine the water, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (If the bowl is cold, start with warmer water so it's at least 110 degrees when you add the yeast.) Mix with your hands and allow to stand for 5 minutes until the yeast and sugar dissolve. Add the eggs and beat on medium speed for 1 minute, until well mixed. With the mixer on low speed, add 2 cups of the flour and the salt and mix for 5 minutes. With the mixer still on low, add 2 1/4 more cups of flour and mix for 5 more minutes. Scrape the dough into a large buttered bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Meanwhile, grease 20 mini brioche tins. Set aside.
• Place the dough in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the softened butter in chunks, and mix for 2 minutes, adding additional flour as needed to make a ball. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and divide the dough into 20 (1 3/4-ounce) balls and place them in the tins. Cover the tins with a damp towel and set aside to rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. When the rolls have risen, brush the top of each with the egg wash and bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back and it sounds slightly hollow when tapped. Turn the rolls out onto a wire rack to cool.