Tiffany's Brioche

For the dough

• 400 g of T45 flour, preferably
• 180 ml of whole milk for steeping, of which 150 ml will be used
• 4 g of Brise d’Oranger tea
• 2 medium eggs, about 100 g without shells
• 60 g of sugar
• 7 g of instant dry yeast
• 7 g of salt
• 80 g of soft unsalted butter, cubed
• 10 ml of food-grade orange blossom water, non-concentrated

For the filling

• 40 g of very soft unsalted butter
• 50 g of brown sugar
• 4 g of ground cinnamon

For the finish

• 1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon of milk
• A little butter for the pan
• Pearl sugar, optional

Step 1 — Steep the milk

Heat the 180 ml of milk until it just comes to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the 4 g of tea and cover for 4 minutes.

Strain carefully. Measure 150 ml of steeped milk and top up with plain milk if necessary. Let cool to room temperature.

Step 2 — Knead the dough

In the stand mixer bowl, combine the flour, sugar and instant yeast. Add the eggs, 150 ml of steeped milk, orange blossom water and salt. Knead with the dough hook for 8 to 10 minutes, on low speed then medium.

Gradually add the 80 g of butter. Continue for 8 to 12 minutes, until the dough is soft and elastic. It may remain slightly sticky: avoid adding too much flour.

Step 3 — Let rise, then chill

Cover and leave to rise at room temperature, away from drafts, until the dough has almost doubled in size: generally 1 h 30 to 2 h 30.

Gently press to release large bubbles, then place the dough covered in the refrigerator for 45 minutes. It will be easier to shape.

Step 4 — Fill and twist

Mix the 40 g of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle measuring about 30 × 40 cm. Spread the filling, leaving a 2 cm border.

Roll it up starting from one 30 cm side to obtain a log of this length. Cut it in half lengthwise. Twist the two halves, filling side up, and place in the buttered pan.

Step 5 — Let rise again

Cover loosely and leave to rise for 1 to 2 hours, until the brioche is well risen.

Watch the dough: the room temperature may lengthen or shorten this time. Volume matters more than the timer.

Step 6 — Egg wash and bake

Preheat the oven to 170 °C with conventional heat. Carefully brush with egg wash and optionally add pearl sugar. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes.

If the top browns too quickly, cover with a sheet of aluminum foil. Using a thermometer, aim for about 90 to 93 °C at the center of the dough, avoiding the filling. Let rest for 10 minutes before removing from the pan onto a cooling rack. Wait until it is warm before cutting.

Three key points to remember

Cooled milk: let it return to room temperature before adding it to the dough.

Soft butter: incorporate it in small portions, without letting it melt.

Baking to the center: the color of the crust is not enough to judge whether a filled brioche is baked through.