The Amalfi coast, summer 2005: I’m 14 years old and on a family holiday. I keep seeing people eating these brioche rolls stuffed with ice-cream and, naturally, they’re all I can think about. When I finally get one, it’s not at all how I’d imagined – the brioche is a bit stale, and the sun melts the ice-cream inside and it runs down my elbow. I still love the idea of it, though, and I like to think this version is an improvement on that first one I ate in Italy.
Brioche buns stuffed with ice-cream
My brioche method starts out by making a tangzhong – a Chinese technique of heating flour, milk and water into a warm paste – which causes the flour to gelatinise. It results in a better rise and a softer crumb.
Prep 10 min
Prove 2 hr+
Rest Overnight
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Makes 8
400g strong white flour
1 tsp fine salt
7g sachet dried fast-action yeast
4 eggs
50ml whole milk
30g honey
100g unsalted butter, softened
Oil, for greasing
1 whole egg, for egg washing
Chocolate spread, for spreading
8 scoops ice-cream (your favourite flavour)
For the tangzhong
25g plain flour
50ml whole milk
For the tangzhong, mix the flour and milk with 50ml water in a saucepan, then stir continuously over a medium heat until the mix turns into a thick paste. Cover with clingfilm so it touches the surface, then leave to cool.
In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt. Put the cooled tangzhong, the flour and salt mix, and the yeast, eggs, milk and honey in the bowl lof a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix until everything comes together into a dough – it will be sticky. Carry on mixing on a medium speed for 15 minutes, or until the dough looks smooth, then turn off the mixer and leave the dough to rest for 10 minutes.
Mix the dough again, this time adding the softened butter, then, once the butter is incorporated, turn up the speed and mix for 15-20 minutes, until the dough is shiny, smooth and elastic.
Transfer the dough to a well-oiled large container, cover and prove at room temperature for two hours until puffy and doubled in size. Knock it back, then put it in the fridge overnight, covered.
Divide the dough into eight equal portions, shape each piece into a tight ball and put on a lined baking tray. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to prove again until just nearing doubled in size.
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Brush the rolls all over with egg wash and bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove, leave to cool, then slice each bun horizontally through the middle. Toast gently, then add a layer of chocolate spread on each cut side. Load each bun with a generous scoop of ice-cream, and serve.
