Apple-Shaped Brioches With a Delicious Filling

These apple brioche buns not only look like apples, they also include some diced apple inside. Fluffy and sweet, this brioche recipe is just as enjoyable for breakfast as it is for dessert.

To make the apple brioche buns, you start by making a dough with flour, yeast, milk, sunflower oil, egg, sugar, orange zest, and salt. Then, after rising, it gets divided into buns, stuffed with an apple-raisin mixture, shaped into apples, and set aside to rise again. After that, they are baked in the oven before being brushed with honey and garnished with mint. The resulting buns look just like apples with cinnamon sticks for stems and mint leaves to mimic actual apple tree leaves.

What are Apple Brioche Buns?

Apple brioche buns are buns that are made with brioche dough and an apple and raisin filling. Glazed with honey, they are sweet enough for dessert but they can also be served for breakfast.

Brioche is a French-style bread dough that is commonly enriched with butter, eggs, and milk. This version includes milk, oil, and eggs for a very fluffy dough.

Pro Tips

• Make sure the yeast you use is still fresh and active before you begin this recipe.
• You will know you have kneaded the dough enough when it is very elastic and stretchy, and you can stretch a small piece out very thin without it tearing.
• If your dough is rising very slowly, you can move it to a warmer location in your home to speed it along.
• Choose a type of apple that will hold its shape during cooking and baking. Cortland, pink lady, granny smith, and spartan apples are all great options.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Makes Brioche Bread Different from Other Breads?

While basic bread includes flour, water, salt, and yeast, brioche is a little different because it has richer ingredients like eggs, milk, and butter added to it. As a result, it tends to be fluffier bread that can work just as well for desserts as for savory options.

What Kind of Apples are Best for Baking Bread?

Apples that have a firmer texture that will hold up to lengthy cooking are the best choice for baking bread like these apple brioche buns. Consider apples like honeycrisp, granny smith, braeburn, spartan, and pink lady for when you bake any kind of apple bread.

Is Brioche Healthier Than Normal Bread?

Brioche is delicious but it isn’t necessarily a healthier version of bread as it is richer and higher in fat.

How to Store Apple Brioche Buns

These apple brioche buns can be stored in an airtight container where they will stay fresh for up to 2 to 3 days. However, you could also store them in the fridge if you would like to keep them fresh for longer.

How to Make Apple Brioche Buns

Step 1

Step 1

In a small bowl, whisk the milk with the oil, egg, sugar, and orange zest until combined.

For the dough, in a bowl, stir the flour with the yeast.

Step 2

Step 2

Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir them until combined. Stir in the salt. Then, knead it with your hands until a smooth and elastic dough forms. Grease a bowl with oil, add the dough, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow it to rise for 3 hours.

In a small bowl, whisk the milk with the oil, egg, sugar, and orange zest until combined.

Step 3

Step 3

For the filling, stir the raisins with the vanilla and water, and set it aside for a few minutes.

Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir them until combined. Stir in the salt. Then, knead it with your hands until a smooth and elastic dough forms. Grease a bowl with oil, add the dough, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow it to rise for 3 hours.

Step 4

Step 4

Brush the brioche buns with honey and garnish them with mint leaves.

For the filling, stir the raisins with the vanilla and water, and set it aside for a few minutes.

Step 5

Step 5

Serve and enjoy!

Peel and chop the apples.

Step 6

Step 6

Melt the butter in a pan on the stove. Add the apples, sugar, and lemon juice, and cook until tender. Stir in the cinnamon and raisins until combined. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.

Step 7

Step 7

To assemble, after the dough has risen, divide it into 12 pieces (about 45g each). Flatten each portion and roll them out. Place some of the apple mixture in the middle of each dough and fold the dough around to create a ball.

Step 8

Step 8

Transfer the assembled buns to a muffin tray, cover them with plastic wrap, and allow them to rise for 50 minutes.

Step 9

Step 9

Place a cinnamon stick in each bun to form a stem. Bake them in a 360 F (180 C) oven for 15 minutes.

Step 10

Step 10

Brush the brioche buns with honey and garnish them with mint leaves.

Step 11

Step 11

Serve and enjoy!