Soft, fluffy, and deliciously rich, the brioche is a classic French bread that is similar to highly enriched pastry due to its high butter and egg content as opposed to regular white bread. It has a light and fluffy texture with a paper-thin crust. Brioche tastes fantastic on its own or can be baked with fruits or chocolate for extra texture and flavour.
In this recipe, we take brioche to the next level by adding chocolate and hazelnuts for an even tastier treat. We baked the brioche in our trusty Le Creuset Toughened Non-Stick Loaf Tin which resulted in a perfectly shaped loaf. Le Creuset’s TNS bakeware are known to be durable thanks to the heavy-gauge carbon steel body that provides fantastic and even heat distribution for the perfect bake. The PFOA-free non-stick coating ensures that your baked loaf comes out beautifully intact without the need for baking paper. You'll be salivating before this exits the oven with its delicious sweet aroma, a perfect way to start your weekend or a lazy Sunday.
Chocolate, Hazelnut, Praline Brioche Loaf Recipe
Prep: 40-50 minutes plus overnight resting, plus 2½-3 hours rising time | Cook: 1 hour | Yields: 12 Slices
Ingredients:
Brioche
- 500g strong white flour, plus extra for rolling
- 55g caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons fast-acting dried yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 125ml milk
- 5 medium eggs
- 150g softened butter
Praline and Chocolate Filling
- 70g caster sugar
- 5 tablespoons water
- 80g chopped roasted hazelnuts
- 150g dark chocolate
- 6 tablespoons single cream
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
Glaze
- 1 beaten egg
To finish
- 55g dark chocolate, melted
- 2 tablespoons chopped roasted hazelnuts
Method:
Brioche (to be prepared the day before)
- Combine the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, add the milk and eggs and bring the mixture together using a large spatula to make a soft dough. Continue to mix with a beating and kneading action in the bowl for 5-6 minutes until the dough becomes smooth.
- Add the softened butter in small pieces and continue to work the mixture with the spatula for 4-5 minutes more. Cover and rest in the refrigerator overnight.
Praline and chocolate filling
- Place the sugar with the water into a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a simmer and cook until a golden, caramel colour is achieved.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the nuts. Turn the mixture out on to a baking sheet, press flat and leave to set.
- Place the set nutty caramel into a strong plastic bag, crush with a rolling pin and set to one side.
- Place the chocolate, cream and cocoa in a small pan and melt together over a gentle heat until smooth. Remove from the heat and leave in the warm pan whilst you roll out the dough.
To make the loaf
- Using a spatula turn the chilled dough out onto a well-floured work surface. Dust your hands and a rolling pin with some of the extra flour and roll the dough to a 35cm square, handling as little as possible.
- Spread the chocolate sauce over the dough leaving a 2.5cm border around the edges and sprinkle over the crushed praline.
- Brush the border with water and roll up like a Swiss roll, tucking the ends securely underneath to seal in the filling.
- Place the loaf with the seam side down into the tin. Cover and rest for 2½-3 hours or until it doubles in size. Pre-heat the oven towards the end of the resting time to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas Mark 6. Glaze the loaf with the beaten egg and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas Mark 4 and continue to cook for 25-30 minutes until golden. Allow to cool completely in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack.
- To finish, melt the remaining chocolate in a small bowl over pan of hot water. Drizzle over the top of cooled loaf and sprinkle over the 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts.
Notes:
- Chilling the dough overnight in the refrigerator makes handling and rolling easier.
- As the brioche is an enriched bread and has been chilled, the rising will be a longer and slower process than for standard bread.
- Any leftover brioche makes excellent bread and butter pudding.
Next Read: Blueberry and Honey Pikelets
