Brioche Bun Recipe (Sicilian Style) (2024)

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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!

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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.

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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!

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For those of you who can’t wait, I’ve already posted my lemon granita recipe, which can be served with brioche, too.

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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.

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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!

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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:

  • 2 tsp dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup (115 ml) lukewarm water
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 1/2 cup (115 ml) warm milk
  • 1/3 cup (75 g) butter, melted (weigh the butter first, then melt it)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 eggs, slightly beaten
  • grated rind from an orange and a lemon, organic
  • 4 cups (570 g) all purpose or bread flour, or more if needed
  • 1 egg beaten with 1 tsp of milk, for glaze

Special equipment: pastry brush

In abread 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Once the large and small balls are shaped, make a deep indentation in each brioche bun.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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You can take a piece of soft brioche and dip it directly into the cream.

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It’s incredibly delightful! Then you can dig in with a spoon, too.

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Brioche are wonderfully light and airy! Let me know if you try this recipe (rating/review in the printable recipe card.)

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Brioche Bun Recipe (Sicilian Style)

Yield: 9

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

A Sicilian style brioche that can be used in any manner.

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup (115 ml) lukewarm water
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 1/2 cup (115 ml) warm milk
  • 1/3 cup (75 g) butter, melted (weigh the butter first, then melt it)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 eggs, slightly beaten
  • grated rind from an orange and a lemon, organic
  • 4 cups (570 g) all purpose or bread flour, or more if needed
  • 1 egg beaten with 1 tsp of milk, for glaze

Instructions

    1. In abread 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.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. After it’s risen, punch down the dough, and let rest for 5 minutes.
    5. Cut small pieces of the dough and shape into round balls, and place onto a greased cookie sheet (orsilicone 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.
    6. 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.
    7. Once the large and small balls are shaped, make a deep indentation in each brioche bun.
    8. Now, push the elongated part of the small ball into the dough, and repeat this for all of them.
    9. 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).
    10. 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.
    11. Bake the buns for approximately 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven.
    12. Place them on a cooling rack until ready to serve. Enjoy as you wish, but I highly recommend a cream topped granita!

Notes

You can let these rise and bake in a traditional brioche mold, too.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 9Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 126Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 292mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 1gSugar: 8gProtein: 5g

Nutrition info is all estimated.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a review by clicking on the 5 stars above, in the purple header (a form will appear) or tag me on Instagram! 😍

My friend Jill, from Mad About Macarons has a lovely French brioche loaf recipe if you get the “brioche bug!”

Christina’s Cucinais a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking toAmazon.com.

Brioche Bun Recipe (Sicilian Style) (2024)

FAQs

Which ice cream is often served in a small bun brioche in Sicily? ›

Place of Origin

It's morning in Sicily and, for some diners, that means one thing: brioche con gelato, a typical breakfast item consisting of a brioche bun stuffed with a couple of scoops of gelato. You can eat it like a sandwich, biting through the solid mass, or scoop off bites with a small spoon.

What makes a brioche bun different? ›

What makes brioche different to most breads? Brioche is different to most breads because it's made with an enriched dough and tastes a little sweeter. . Because it's an enriched dough, you get that famous brioche texture of soft bread, the classic golden colour and quintessentially rich taste.

Is brioche French or Italian? ›

Brioche (/ˈbriːoʊʃ/, also UK: /ˈbriːɒʃ, briːˈɒʃ/, US: /briːˈoʊʃ, ˈbriːɔːʃ, briːˈɔːʃ/, French: [bʁijɔʃ]) is a pastry of French origin whose high egg and butter content gives it a rich and tender crumb.

Why is my brioche not fluffy? ›

If the kneading is not done correctly and the dough is not kneaded enough or is kneaded too much, this will affect the texture of the brioche. The dough should be left to rise in a warm place, away from any draughts.

What do Italians call brioche? ›

A cornetto with an espresso or cappuccino at a coffee bar is considered to be the most common breakfast in Italy. The name cornetto is common in southern and central Italy, while it is called "brioche" in the north.

Do Sicilians eat ice cream for breakfast? ›

Gelato for breakfast is a regular item on the island. It's offered in most every café; young kids, teenagers, and even very serious adults eat it all the time.

Is brioche healthier than bread? ›

How healthy is brioche? Brioche contains a higher protein content than plain white bread due to the inclusion of eggs, which is beneficial for health. However, due to the higher butter content in brioche, brioche contains more fat and more calories than other kinds of bread.

Why do brioche buns taste so good? ›

A brioche roll is a form of enriched dough. That means that it's made the same way as a regular roll of bread, but lots of butter and eggs are added to it. This gives it a richer flavor with a tender crumb and soft texture.

Should you toast brioche buns? ›

However, the brioche burger bun is a perfect choice for spicy chicken or tangy pulled pork burgers, where the bun's buttery sweetness will enhance the flavour. Even better, if you toast your brioche burger bun, it can help absorb some of the moisture from the burger contents without becoming soggy.

Why is brioche so expensive? ›

Brioche is one of the costliest bakery products because of its high proportion of butter and eggs.

Do Italians eat brioche for breakfast? ›

The brioche is eaten almost exclusively at breakfast, while the cornetto is found everywhere, even at night. In northern Italy it's quite rare to come across bakeries or cafés that churn out hot cornettos after sunset.

Which country invented brioche? ›

The most authentic and classic brioche comes from Normandy, a region of northern France famous for the quality of its butter. Interestingly, in very authentic brioche recipes, 400g of butter per kilo of flour is required. The name "brioche" comes from the old French word "brier," which means "to crush the dough".

Can you overproof brioche dough? ›

Overproofed brioche will be super airy and have lots of large air bubbles especially on the surface of the dough. Overproofing during the first rise is easily fixed: Knock all the air out, knead the dough against the counter to shape it back into a ball, and let it rise until it doubles in size again.

What happens if you put too much butter in brioche? ›

Too much butter will result in a very soft, sticky dough that's difficult to shape, and bakes up greasy and dense.

Why does my brioche taste yeasty? ›

If the area is too warm, bread will rise too fast and begin cooking before the yeast has finished acting. This will impart a "yeasty" taste to the dough that will be transferred to the finished baked loaf. Using old ingredients (rancid nuts, "old" shortening) will cause yeast breads to taste old or have an "off" taste.

What is the most popular ice cream in Italy? ›

Cioccolato is a chocolate-based concoction with a rich, lasting flavor. As a result, this ice cream is regarded as having the most delectable flavor in Italian cuisine. Cioccolato is at the top of everyone's list, from children to adults.

What is the word for Sicilian ice cream cake? ›

Cassata is one of Sicily's most flamboyant cakes, and its most recognisable. It consists of a sponge, known as pan di Spagna, a sweetened ricotta centre, a coating of marzipan or icing – or more often both – and finally an elaborate, baroque-inspired decoration of glacé fruits and citrus rinds.

What is a frozen dessert from Sicily? ›

Of Sicily's countless contributions to the canon of Italian cuisine, granita is undoubtedly summer's most desired. This semi-frozen dessert comprises water, sugar, and flavourings and is one of the most refreshing panaceas for the heat.

What is Sicily Flavour ice cream? ›

The most popular type of Italian ice cream in Sicily is called "gelato alla cassata," which is a delicious combination of ricotta cheese, candied fruit, and chocolate chips. It is a traditional and beloved flavor that captures the essence of Sicilian desserts.

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