Chinese brioche filled with vanilla custard and chocolate chips
For a soft and sweet snack break, choose brioche chinois! Easier to make than you think, its filling of vanilla custard and chocolate chips will make it irresistible. As usual, we guide you step by step through this recipe :-) Also known as "Schneckenkuchen" (due to its German origins!), this snail-shaped cake can have its filling changed according to your desires and tastes. For example, use raisins, pistachio pieces, or even coffee extract. For a little history, this brioche has nothing to do with the Chinese. The first French importer simply couldn't pronounce the German name of this recipe. To him, it was Chinese! That's how this more common name stuck :-)
Ingredients
For the brioche:
For the vanilla custard:
Materials
- Stand mixer or dough kneader
Preparation
Brioche:
In the bowl of your mixer, put the flour, the yeast, the sugar, the eggs, and the milk. Knead for about 4 minutes.
Then, while kneading, add the softened butter little by little. Once you have added all the butter, continue kneading for about 10 minutes. Put in the fridge for 90 minutes.
Vanilla custard:
Put the milk to boil with the sliced vanilla bean. Meanwhile, put the egg yolks in a bowl and add the sugar. Whisk vigorously until the mixture whitens.
Add the cornstarch and mix well. Once the milk has boiled, gradually add it to the egg-sugar-cornstarch mixture. Then, put everything back in the saucepan and back on medium heat.
Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture reaches the desired consistency. This step takes about 10 minutes. Then let it cool, covering it with plastic wrap directly against the cream to prevent a skin from forming.
Take the brioche dough out of the fridge and roll it out on a floured surface. Form a rectangle about 30 x 40 cm.
Spread the cold vanilla custard on top, leaving a margin. Then sprinkle with chocolate chips.
Roll the brioche dough onto itself, then cut pieces about 4 cm long.
Arrange these pieces in a previously greased mold, pressing them together so they all fit. Let rise for 1 hour at room temperature.
Bake for 40 minutes at 350°F (180°C).
And there you are, your brioche chinois is ready!
Observations
My dough doesn't come off the bowl: If after 10 minutes of kneading after adding the butter, it doesn't come off, put the bowl of the mixer in the fridge. Leave it for a good ten minutes, then start kneading again. The dough heats up easily, and kneading too long tends to warm it up.
The flour: it should be type 45 or strong flour.
