Cinnamon Cream Brioche
 
 
These cinnamon-cream brioche pastries are the perfect breakfast-in-bed - fluffy discs of buttery brioche dough filled with a rich cinnamon pastry cream filling.
Yield: 8 pastries
Ingredients
For the brioche
  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp (157 g) all purpose flour
  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp (170 g) bread flour
  • 1½ tsp active dry yeast
  • ⅙ cup (40 g) sugar
  • ½ tbsp kosher salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup plus 3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into small dice
For the pastry cream
  • 1¼ cups milk
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup cake flour
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the pastry
  • 1½ cups creme fraiche
  • 1¼ cups sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
For the brioche
  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the all purpose flour, bread flour, yeast, salt, eggs, and ¼ cup water. Beat on low until all of the ingredients come together, about 3 minutes, scraping the side of the bowl as needed. Beat on low speed for an additional 3-4 minutes. The dough will be stiff and dry.
  2. With the mixer on low speed, add the butter, one piece at a time, only adding the next until the former has been incorporated. Mix on low speed, scraping the bowl occasionally, for 10 minutes.
  3. Increase the mixer to medium speed and beat for another 15 minutes. The dough should be sticky, soft, and shiny. Increase the speed to high and beat for 1 minute. Gather up the dough and transfer to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it down directly onto the surface of the dough. Let proof in the refrigerator overnight.
For the pastry cream
  1. Heat the milk over medium-high heat in a saucepan until small bubbles start to form along the side of the pan. In a separate bowl, stir together the sugar, flour and salt. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks together, then slowly whisk in the flour/sugar mixture.
  2. Slowly add the milk to the egg/sugar/flour mix, whisking constantly. When it has been fully incorporated, add the new mixture to the saucepan and heat over medium, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes or until the mixture thickens and starts to boil. After the mixture starts to boil, whisk it vigorously for 10 seconds, and then remove from the heat.
  3. Push the custard through a fine-mesh sieve, into a heatproof bowl. Stir in the vanilla and cover with plastic wrap, placing it directly onto the surface of the cream. Refrigerate overnight.
For the pastry
  1. Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Shape the brioche into a rectangle that is 8 inches long and 4 inches wide. Cut the rectangle into eight squares.
  3. Stretch each square into a circle that is about 5 inches in diameter. The inner part of the circle should be pretty thin, while the edges should be thicker. Place onto one of the parchment-lined baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough, placing 4 on each baking sheet.
  4. Spread about 2 tbsp of the pastry cream over the base of each brioche circle. Place 3 tbsp of the creme fraiche on top of the pastry cream in each brioche circle, leaving the rim untouched. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle it over the creme fraiche center as well as the rim of each brioche pastry.
  5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, switching the pans halfway through baking. The brioche should be golden brown along the edge. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Adapted from Flour, Too: Indispensable Recipes for the Cafe's Most Loved Sweets & Savories
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 pastry
Recipe by Joanne Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/2014/02/cinnamon-cream-brioche.html