Cover the dough with a cloth and let rise at room temperature for about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size. Yeast: I used Instant Dried Yeast (sometimes called just Instant Yeast) that does not require to be bloomed (rehydrated in a lukewarm liquid) prior to being added to the rest of the ingredients. You can also use Active Dry Yeast, but this type of yeast will require to be bloomed first. Although not necessary here, you can bloom Instant Yeast first just to make sure it is alive and active. When the brioches are ready, brush them with the beaten egg and yolk, then bake in a pre-heated oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-12 minutes, or until golden-golden brown, depending on your preference.

Note that if using instant yeast, you technically do not need to activate it in a liquid but I like to do this step to insure the yeast is alive. Butter a 12-hole muffin tray or 2 x 6-hole brioche-shaped trays. Turn the dough out of the bowl onto a floured work surface and knead gently for 1 minute. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions.Once your dough has proved, prod it to deflate the gas buildup from the yeast. Shaping your brioche buns Photo 5: while slowly kneading, add the very soft unsalted butter cubes a little bit at the time (about one tablespoon at the time). Slowly knead until the butter has been incorporated before adding more. As an example, the stand mixer will considerably be a good help to get a light, soft, airy and pillowy texture to a French Butter Brioche. This applies to any other brioche recipe, especially when they involve great quantities of butter and eggs. Once all the butter has been added, increase the mixer speed to medium high to high and knead for about 20 minutes or until very soft, stretchy and elastic. Yes, it's a long kneading time but the enriched dough requires longer to develop gluten.

Salt. A little salt helps to balance the sweet flavors in pastries. Just a little bit goes a long way. When the milk is bubbling, remove the vanilla pod and pour the milk over the egg mixture in a few additions until well combined.

Easy Chocolate Brioche Buns

If the filling is too soft/liquid, it will be a bit hard to spread over the dough and it will get messy when you roll it again (that's what happened with my filling). It should firm up at room temperature but you can also place it in the fridge for a few minutes if it is still too soft. Chocolate chips and other options. As for the chocolate part, I used mini chocolate chips which are the ones that work best for the buns. If you can’t find your hand on it, go for regular chocolate chips. You could also replace with candied fruits and pearl sugar, or enjoy the buns plain. You can them slice them in two parts, lengthwise, and spread with butter and jam. Tips to keep them fresh