Cream Cheese Brioche

Photo: Sara Bonetti

Ingredients

170 grams (6 oz) all purpose flour

50 grams (1.75 oz) sugar

70 grams (2.5 oz) cream cheese

15 grams (0.5 oz) melted butter

50 milliliters (1.7 fl oz) warm milk+ 3 or 4 extra tbsp for brushing

5 teaspoons gr (1) sugar

7 teaspoons gr (1 and ½) instant ye ast

few drops of vanilla extract

Preparation

Dissolve the yeast in some of the milk, together with one teaspoon of sugar. In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients with the dissolved yeast and the remaining milk until the dough is homogeneus. Don't get scared if the dough seems to be a bit too fluffly as long as it stays compact.

Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume (at least 2 hours).

Roll out the dough onto a floured surface into a 10-12inch square then roll. Using a string cut into 1/2inch thick piece. Place them onto the baking sheet covered with baking paper, cover and let rise until doubled volume.

Brush the risen dough with a mixture made of 3-4 tbsp of milk and just a few drops of vanilla extract.

Bake for 20 minutes maximum or until lightly golden brown. (make sure not to overbake them as I almost did!)

Let cool on a rack. Serve them plain or with some butter or jam.