Brioche Bun Recipe (Sicilian Style)
This brioche bun recipe will be your go to recipe whenever you want to make any type of brioche. Use them for sweet or savory dishes, add the top or leave it off, but be sure to try them with a cream topped granita, Sicilian style!
This brioche bun recipe is super easy to make, especially if you have a bread machine or stand mixer with a dough hook.
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I want to share this recipe with you because it is part of a typical Sicilian breakfast that I learned about first hand, many years ago when I first visited Sicily. My uncle took me to a bar in his village to have this special breakfast, even though I was reluctant to go. I didn’t eat breakfast when I was 19; it was just never my thing. However, he wouldn’t take no for an answer.
My upcoming strawberry granita recipe will have the whole story, but for now, I want you to be able to have the brioche recipe ready to go when you make the granita. Here’s a sneak peek at my strawberry granita!
For those of you who can’t wait, I’ve already posted my lemon granita recipe, which can be served with brioche, too.
The granita you see with this brioche is my rhubarb granita! I’ve been on a granita kick, and couldn’t resist when I had fresh rhubarb recently! Let me know if you’d like me to post the recipe.
As I noted above, you can make these brioche without the top, as these are simply called brioche Siciliani col tuppo (with a top) to use in any manner you like. These are great for brioche hamburger buns, or for chicken sandwiches. The only thing I’d leave out is the lemon and orange rind and reduce the sugar (if you like), but these are already not very sweet at all.
I was given permission to share this coffee granita with a brioche by Cielo di Taormina! Isn’t it fab? If you’re visiting, check out their website, but in the meantime, you can follow on Instagram.
Eat them plain for breakfast or with butter or jam. They’re perfect with a cup of coffee or tea. Also, in Italy brioche are often sliced and stuffed with ice cream. It makes a great summertime dessert! If you have any leftover a few days after you’ve made them, they are great to use for bread and butter puddings!
Brioche Bun Recipe (Sicilian Style)
adapted from my cream bun recipe with inspiration from Pietro M. (Solo Cose Buone)
makes 9 large brioche with tops
Ingredients
- dry yeast
- lukewarm water
- sugar
- honey
- warm milk
- butter
- salt
- eggs
- orange rind
- lemon rind
- all purpose or bread flour
Special equipment: pastry brush
Directions
In a bread machine (the link goes to the one I have, but there are many less expensive ones) or stand mixer, place the lukewarm water, yeast and honey. Mix the milk, melted butter, beaten egg together, then add to the yeast mixture along with the grated citrus rind.
Add the flour, 1/4 cup (50 g) of sugar and salt, and turn on machine (dough setting on bread machine or use a dough hook if using a stand mixer.) Mix by hand if you aren’t using a machine.
Dough will be slightly sticky. Allow cycle to finish on dough setting. With a stand mixer, or by hand, when the dough is ready, cover it and let rise on the counter until doubled in size. After it’s risen, punch down the dough, and let rest for 5 minutes.
Cut pieces of the dough and shape into round balls, and place onto a greased cookie sheet (or silicone sheet.)
NOTE: I weighed mine so they would all be of equal size, but it’s not necessary. If you do want to weigh them evenly, the large part is 100 grams and the top is 20 grams. This made exactly 9 topped brioche. If you want to make plain brioche without a top, you’ll end up with about 11 large brioche buns.
For the top, shape the 20 gram pieces of dough into a ball and then elongate them on one end. This is the end that will go into the main part of the brioche.
Once the large and small balls are shaped, make a deep indentation in each brioche bun.
Now, push the elongated part of the small ball into the dough, and repeat this for all of them. Don’t be shy when pushing them in as they will want to pop back up.
Place the tray in the oven (do not turn it on) to rise for about half an hour or until doubled in size. (I put a jug of boiling water in the oven for steam, so the buns don’t get a crust).
Once doubled in size, remove the buns from the oven, then preheat to 350º F (175ºC.) Gently brush the brioche with the egg glaze.
When the oven is ready, bake the buns for approximately 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven. They will have a beautiful sheen.
Place them on a cooling rack until ready to serve. I hope you’ll enjoy my brioche bun recipe. Enjoy as you wish, but I highly recommend eating at least one with a cream topped granita!
You can take a piece of soft brioche and dip it directly into the cream.
It’s incredibly delightful! Then you can dig in with a spoon, too.
Brioche are wonderfully light and airy! Let me know if you try this recipe (rating/review in the printable recipe card.)
Brioche Bun Recipe (Sicilian Style)
Ingredients
- 2 tsp dry yeast
- ½ cup water lukewarm
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp honey
- ½ cup milk warm
- ⅓ cup butter melted (weigh first then melt)
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 eggs slightly beaten
- 2 tsp orange rind organic, grated
- 2 tsp lemon rind organic, grated
- 4 cups all purpose or bread flour (more if needed)
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tsp of milk, for glaze
Instructions
- In a bread machine (the link goes to the one I have, but there are many less expensive ones) or stand mixer, place the lukewarm water, yeast and honey. Mix the milk, melted butter, beaten egg together, then add to the yeast mixture along with the grated citrus rind.
- Add the flour, 1/4 cup (50 g) of sugar and salt, and turn on machine (dough setting on bread machine or use a dough hook if using a stand mixer.) Mix by hand if you aren’t using a machine.
- Dough will be slightly sticky. Allow cycle to finish on dough setting. With a stand mixer, or by hand, when the dough is ready, cover it and let rise on the counter until doubled in size.
- After it’s risen, punch down the dough, and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Cut small pieces of the dough and shape into round balls, and place onto a greased cookie sheet (or silicone sheet.) I weighed mine so they would all be of equal size, but it's not necessary. If you do want to weigh them evenly, the large part is 100 grams and the top is 20 grams. This made exactly 9 topped brioche. If you want to make plain brioche without a top, you'll end up with about 11 large brioche buns.
- For the top, shape the 20 gram pieces of dough into a ball and then elongate one end. This is the end that will go into the main part of the brioche.
- Once the large and small balls are shaped, make a deep indentation in each brioche bun.
- Now, push the elongated part of the small ball into the dough, and repeat this for all of them.
- Place the tray in the oven (do not turn it on) to rise for about half an hour or until doubled in size. (I put a large cup of boiling water in the oven for steam, so the buns don’t get a crust).
- Once doubled, remove the buns from the oven then turn it on to preheat to 350º F (175ºC.) Gently brush the brioche with the egg glaze.
- Bake the buns for approximately 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven.
- Place them on a cooling rack until ready to serve. Enjoy as you wish, but I highly recommend a cream topped granita!
Notes
Nutrition
My friend Jill, from Mad About Macarons has a lovely French brioche loaf recipe if you get the “brioche bug!”
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Oh my goodness, this looks good and adore that there’s orange and lemon zest in it for that Sicilian touch. Christina – I bet that breakfast in the Sicilian bar at 19 was a total revelation! What a wonderful experience to have had – I can just imagine the scene! Thanks for sharing my Frenchie brioche, you sweetiepie.
We had brioche with almond granita in Sicily last year. It was astounding. I didn’t think I would like it – but, oh, I was wrong! Love your recipe – one more to try soon!
Almond granita? That’s one I’ve never heard of! I wonder if it’s popular in a different part of Sicily or it’s a newer flavor? Interesting! The things we learn every day!
Rhubarb granita recipe, please. I love rhubarb
Oh goodness it’s so good, especially with the cream!
Your brioche are beautiful, Christina! And when you talk about Sicily and brioche, I can’t help but remember the time I tasteed that most Sicilian of breakfasts, a brioche gelato sandwich. A decadent but delicious way to start the day in the summer, especially refreshing in the heat of the Mediterranean sun. Now I can recreate that experience at home!
I hope you do, it’s so lovely to make things from holidays at home, especially since we can’t travel now. I’m on such a granita kick right now, I just had to make brioche! So far I’ve made lemon, strawberry and rhubarb! Next has to be coffee! :)
Excellent recipe, so easy! Not overly sweet, and very moreish.
Omg! These look amazing, I’ll have to give these a wee try. Thank you for sharing.