Sicilian sugar brioche
At the beginning of September I went to Sicily for just two days.
Not enough time for doing the things I wanted, but enough to understand how the passing of time increases the distances inexorably.
I’m living conflicting feelings. Something that pulls between my aversion to people and things that I once could not bear and my deeply “nostalgia” for that part of my life and those loved ones who I cannot be near a I would like.
I think I will live with this feeling for my entire life. The sight at an old book found in my mother’s house or the flavour of a particular dish, these small things are enough to bring me back through the years, discovering old memories.
This time it happened with a Sicilian sugar brioche
Sicilian sugar brioche
In Sicily we love bread, we use to buy large amount of bread every day, sometimes twice in a day.
That’s the reason why , in a good bakery, you can find warm bread in the morning and in the afternoon.
And never just bread!
The traditional and common semolina flour bread share the counters with the soft “panini” covered with toasted sesame seeds, small pizze with tomato sauce, mozzarella and oregano.
And also crunchy grissini, simple “biscotti” for the breakfast “latte” and brioches covered with sugar.
Sicilian sugar brioche
The sight of a sugar brioche brings me back to my childhood.
On my way to school there was a tiny bakery , I can remember an old couple working there.
I used to stop there every morning to buy my “merenda”. Sometimes my choice was chocolate, but mostly of the time a small panino or a brioche. A fresh, fragrant brioche wrapped in a light brown paper.
I can still see a “little me” seated at the table, using the brown paper like a placemat, ready to start my war with the sugar.
Despite all my attention, after the first bite, the sugar would have covered my mouth, hands, and part of my blue school uniform.
It was ubiquitous. I couldn’t resist the allure of licking the crispy sugar from my fingers, savoring each delightful taste while trying to maintain composure. One more bite, and I knew I would succumb to the temptation once again.
The vivid recollection of this unassuming bakery brioche, boasting a light yet sweet dough, lingered in my mind.
It was the crispy sugar coating that lent it a rustic and distinctive quality, leaving me coated in sugar from head to toe by the end of the “merenda”.
This brioche dough it’s simple to make, this recipe comes from an Italian foodblog, Anice e Cannella, and is pretty near to the original one.
My Sicilian recipes HERE
Sicilian sugar brioche
Savor the nostalgia of Sicilian sugar brioche - a journey through time and memories in my childhood home.
Ingredients
Instructions
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In the bowl of the stand mixer pour the water, the milk and the yeast. Stir with a spoon to dissolve the yeast then let it rest for 10 minutes.
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Add the flour and start mixing at low speed for about 5 minutes. Add the salt and keep kneading.
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One you have an elastic dough start adding the lard little bit a time, in order to give to the dough the time to absorb the fat.
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Once the dough is smooth and elastic transfer in a greased bowl, cover with a clingfilm an let it rise until double in size.
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Take again the dough and flat it gently with your hands. Make a rectangle and give some folds like you see in the link you will find below. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
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Cut the dough in pieces about 60 g. each ones for the base and 20 g. for the little “hat” – have a look to the second link below to see how to shape a buns , you can the second one smaller and then you fix it on top .
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Line a baking tray with parchment paper and arrange the brioches. Brush with some milk and let it rise until double in size.
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Pre-heat the oven to 180°
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Brush again with milk and bake until golden.
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Prepare a dish with three tablespoons of sugar, brush quickly with some water and press them on the sugar.
Note
- If you have more time you can proceed in this way: reduce the yeast to 13 g. knead and let it rest for 50 minutes then let it rest in the fridge overnight. The morning after leave the dough one hour at room temperature, then follow the recipe ( folding etc )
- Once the brioche are ready and cooled, without the sugar on top, you can freeze them. Once you desire to eat the brioche put them in the oven and turn it to 160°. When the oven arrives to temperature , the brioche are ready to eat
- More video about folding and shaping here or here
