Glazed brioche with Parmesan stuffing

Glazed brioche with Parmesan stuffing. Photograph: Harry Weir
Serves: 4
Course: Dinner
Cooking Time: 30 mins
Prep Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

  • 300g strong flour
  • 30g caster sugar
  • 5g salt
  • 1 sachet fast-action yeast (7g)
  • 60g milk
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 100g softened butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 80g grated Parmesan
  • 20g soft butter
  • 2 egg yolks, mixed for glazing
  1. To make your brioche dough, add the flour, sugar, salt, and dried yeast to a mixer with a dough hook. Mix together so the dry goods are evenly distributed.
  2. Warm the milk to just above hand temperature and add to the bowl. Mix at a high speed for a minute. Add the eggs one by one and mix at a high speed for five minutes until the dough starts to come together and hug the hook.
  3. Add the softened butter to the mixer gradually. Once all the butter is incorporated, mix for 10 minutes on medium speed until a smooth, shiny dough is achieved; it’s ready when it cleans the bowl and is just falling away from the hook when you lift it up.
  4. Shape the dough into a rough ball and place in a greased bowl. Wrap the bowl in clingfilm and leave in a warm place to double in size.
  5. While the dough is doubling in size, add the grated Parmesan and soft butter to a bowl. Mix gently with a small spoon to bind, then set aside to be used to stuff the dough with.
  6. Preheat the oven to 185 degrees.
  7. Grease a loaf tin with some soft butter. Once the dough has doubled in size, pour it on to a floured surface. Knock it back by pressing it lightly with your hands to remove excess air. Roll it into a rough sausage shape and then cut into six equal-sized pieces. Dust the counter with a little flour, then roll the dough pieces one-by-one into smooth balls. Make a hole in the base of the dough balls and spoon in some of the grated Parmesan and butter, then pinch the dough to close the hole and place the six dough balls in the loaf tin. Cover with cling film and leave in a warm place to double in size.
  8. When the dough has doubled in size, brush gently with the mixed egg yolks and bake in the oven at 185 degrees for 25 minutes until golden brown all over.
  9. Serve with some more soft butter and grated Parmesan.
Mark Moriarty

Mark Moriarty

Mark Moriarty is an award winning chef, TV host, author and Irish Times columnist.