Decadent Mini Chocolate Stuffed Vanilla Bean Brioche À Tête: A Taste of French Perfection

There are few pastries that evoke the same sense of luxurious indulgence as a perfectly crafted brioche. For me, it truly stands out as one of France’s most exquisite culinary contributions. When I speak of brioche, I’m not referring to the overly processed, bland versions often found in supermarket aisles, which tend to have the regrettable texture and flavor of cotton wool. My adoration is reserved for authentic, artisanal brioche – a masterpiece of baking, generously enriched with an abundance of butter and eggs, yet achieving an impossibly light, airy crumb that melts in your mouth. It’s this delightful paradox of richness and delicacy that makes genuine brioche so utterly irresistible and a joy to bake at home.

Baking with Brioche Molds: Crafting the Perfect À Tête

A while ago, I was fortunate enough to receive a set of traditional brioche moulds, and the anticipation of putting them to good use has been building ever since. These elegant little baking tools are specifically designed to create the distinctive “brioche à tête” shape, characterized by its charming little ‘head’ or ‘bobble’ perched atop a round base. This recipe for mini chocolate stuffed vanilla bean brioche à tête proved to be the absolute ideal project for finally breaking them in. The result was not just a delicious treat, but also visually stunning, making the effort entirely worthwhile.

My collection includes both 4-inch and 2.5-inch moulds (measurements typically taken across the top diameter). This allowed me to experiment with different sizes, creating a charming assortment of mini brioche. But don’t despair if you don’t possess these specific moulds! A standard muffin tin can serve as an excellent substitute, although the final shape won’t have the classic ‘tête’ and might lack a touch of the characteristic cuteness. Whichever baking vessel you choose, the key is to understand dough quantities. The recipe carefully specifies how much dough to use per mould for each size, as well as for muffin tins. A crucial tip: aim to fill your moulds to approximately two-thirds capacity. Overfilling can lead to an unfortunate overflow during baking, resulting in misshapen brioche that simply won’t have the aesthetic appeal we’re aiming for.

For those who prefer a simpler form or don’t want to bother with the ‘tête’ (which literally means ‘head’ in French, referring to the signature bobble on top), you can easily shape the dough into plain, round buns. Just space them evenly apart on a baking sheet to give them room to rise and expand beautifully in the oven. The versatility of brioche dough allows for many creative adaptations, even if the traditional shape is part of its charm.

The Art of Brioche Dough: Kneading, Enriching, and Flavoring

Making brioche dough, especially from scratch, is a labor of love that truly rewards patience. I often make my brioche dough by hand, which is certainly achievable but also quite the arm workout and can be delightfully messy. This is because brioche dough is inherently very soft and sticky, even before the luxurious addition of butter. For those fortunate enough to own a stand mixer equipped with a dough hook, I wholeheartedly recommend utilizing it. It will simplify the kneading process significantly, ensuring the dough develops the necessary elasticity without as much physical exertion. However, if you’re kneading by hand, prepare to embrace the stickiness and enjoy the therapeutic rhythm of working the dough. The technique for handling such a soft dough involves lifting and stretching it from the work surface (it will stick!), slapping it back down, folding it over, and turning it. A dough scraper will become your best friend for prying it off the countertop, and resist the urge to add extra flour, as this will lead to a tough, dense brioche instead of the light, airy texture we crave.

To infuse these mini brioche with an irresistible aroma and taste, I chose to flavor the dough generously with vanilla. This involved using both the delicate seeds scraped directly from a vanilla pod and a tablespoon of high-quality vanilla extract. While this might sound like a substantial amount of vanilla, bread dough has a remarkable capacity to absorb flavors, and a significant quantity is needed for the vanilla notes to truly shine through in the final baked product. The combination creates a rich, fragrant base that perfectly complements the buttery texture. Once the dough has developed its elasticity, the softened butter is gradually incorporated, transforming the dough into an even softer, almost silken consistency. This extensive kneading and enrichment process is what gives brioche its unique character: a bread that is tender, rich, and incredibly flavorful, making it a staple of French patisserie and a true delight for any baker.

The Heavenly Pairing: Buttery Brioche with Dark Chocolate

While a plain, buttery brioche is undeniably delicious on its own, the addition of a dark chocolate filling elevates these buns to an entirely new realm of culinary bliss. The slight bitterness and intense cocoa notes of dark chocolate provide a perfect counterpoint to the rich, sweet, and vanilla-scented brioche dough. As the brioche bakes, the chocolate within melts into a warm, gooey pool, creating a molten center that oozes out with every bite. The contrast between the light, soft, fragrant bread and the decadent, melted dark chocolate is truly a heavenly combination. It transforms a simple pastry into an exquisite dessert or a luxurious breakfast treat, making each mini brioche a delightful surprise waiting to be discovered.

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Mini Chocolate Stuffed Vanilla Bean Brioche À Tête

Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

• 500 g (4 + ¼ cups) strong white bread flour
• 7 g (1 tsp) salt
• 50 g (¼ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
• 10 g (3 tsp) fast action yeast
• 120 ml (½ cup) full fat milk, lukewarm
• 5 eggs
• the seeds from one vanilla pod
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 250 g (1 cup) softened butter
• about 200g (7 oz) dark chocolate, chopped
• melted butter for greasing
• 1 beaten egg to glaze

Instructions

• Start the day before you want to bake. This overnight refrigeration is crucial for developing flavor and firming the dough for easier handling.
• Place the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the lukewarm milk, eggs, vanilla seeds, and vanilla extract.
• If using a stand mixer, mix on a slow speed for 2 minutes to combine, then increase to a medium speed and continue mixing for 6 – 8 minutes more, until the dough becomes soft, glossy, and elastic.
• If kneading by hand, you will need to knead the dough vigorously for at least 10 minutes, and ideally 15 minutes, to achieve the desired elasticity.
• The method for kneading this very sticky dough by hand is to lift and stretch it up from the work surface (it will stick!), slap it back down, fold it over, and turn it. You will definitely need a dough scraper to help release it from your worktop and hands. Remember, do not add any extra flour during this stage, or you risk ending up with tough bread.
• Once the dough is visibly elastic, gradually add the softened butter. Continue to mix for a further 4 – 5 minutes by machine, or 8-10 minutes by hand, periodically scraping down the bowl or work surface to ensure that the butter is thoroughly and evenly incorporated into the dough. The dough will remain very soft and somewhat sticky.
• Tip the dough into a large, clean bowl, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or a damp cloth, and refrigerate overnight. This extended cold fermentation allows the dough to slowly rise and develop complex flavors, while also firming it up sufficiently to make it manageable for shaping the next day.
• The following day, generously brush your chosen brioche moulds or muffin tins with melted butter. Even though the dough is rich in butter, greasing the tins is essential to prevent sticking and ensure easy unmoulding. Remove the chilled dough from the fridge.
• For 4-inch moulds: Divide the dough into approximately 10 or 11 equal portions, each weighing around 115g (4oz). For each portion, separate 100g (3.5oz) for the base and 15g (0.5oz) for the head. Shape the larger base portion into a smooth ball, then gently roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a disc. Be careful not to roll it too thin, as this could cause it to split and ooze chocolate during baking. Place about 20g (0.75oz) of chopped dark chocolate in the center of the disc. Bring the edges of the dough up over the chocolate and pinch them tightly together to seal. Reshape the dough into a neat ball and place it, seam-side down, into the prepared mould. To create the ‘tête,’ roll the 15g portion of dough into a small ball, then pinch one side to form a carrot or cone shape – rounded and fatter at one end, gradually narrowing to a point at the other.
• To attach the ‘tête’: Press a lightly floured finger into the center of the base dough in the mould to create a deep impression, ensuring you don’t go all the way through to the bottom. Insert the narrow, pointed end of the ‘tête’ into this impression and gently press around the edges to seal it securely in place. Try to work relatively quickly as the dough will become stickier as it warms up to room temperature. Place the filled tins onto a baking sheet. (If these shaping instructions are unclear, refer to the step-by-step photos provided below the recipe for visual guidance.)
• For 2.5-inch moulds: Follow the same shaping procedure, but use smaller quantities of dough. Allocate 25g of dough for the base and 5g for the ‘tête,’ with approximately 5g of chopped chocolate for the filling. This smaller size will yield about 40 very small brioche. For a deep muffin tin: Use 65g of dough for the base, 10g for the ‘tête,’ and 15g of chocolate for the filling.
• Place the baking sheet containing the shaped brioche inside a large, clean plastic bag, ensuring the bag does not touch the dough itself (this creates a mini proofing chamber). Leave them to rise in a warm place until they have almost doubled in size. This proofing stage will take about 1 ½ hours for the larger brioche and roughly 45 minutes for the tiny 2.5-inch ones, depending on your room temperature.
• Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F / Gas Mark 5). Once the brioche have adequately risen, gently brush their tops with the beaten egg glaze. Be careful to avoid dripping egg wash down between the dough and the tin, as this can make the baked buns difficult to remove. Bake the larger brioche for approximately 20 minutes, and the smaller ones for about 15 minutes, or until they are beautifully golden brown. To confirm doneness, the internal temperature should register 90°C (194°F) on a digital thermometer, or a skewer inserted into the bread portion (avoiding the chocolate center) should come out clean.
• Remove the brioche from the oven and carefully unmould them onto a wire rack. Allow them to cool slightly, but they are absolutely best served warm, when the chocolate filling is still molten and the brioche is at its most tender. Brioche rolls are truly at their peak when fresh, but if you have any leftovers, once completely cooled, they can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For a delightful refresh, reheat them gently in a warm oven (160° to 180°C / 325° to 350°F / Gas Mark 3-4) for a few minutes.

Notes

1. This recipe will make approximately 10 brioche using 4 inch moulds, 40 brioche using 2.5 inch moulds, or 15 brioche using a muffin tin.

Visual Guide to Shaping Brioche À Tête

To further assist you in mastering the unique shaping of brioche à tête, particularly the creation and attachment of the ‘bobble’ or ‘head,’ I’ve included a helpful visual guide. These step-by-step photos illustrate the process described in the recipe instructions, from rolling out the base dough and adding the chocolate, to forming the distinct ‘tête’ and securely placing it into the main body of the brioche. Seeing the process visually can often clarify any uncertainties, ensuring you achieve that classic, charming brioche à tête look every time you bake. Don’t worry if your first attempt isn’t perfect; practice makes perfect, and the delicious taste will be your reward regardless of the exact shape!

Enjoying Your Homemade Brioche

There is immense satisfaction in pulling a batch of these golden, fragrant brioche from the oven. The intoxicating aroma of vanilla and warm butter fills the kitchen, promising a truly delightful experience. Whether you enjoy them for breakfast, a luxurious brunch, or an afternoon treat, these mini chocolate stuffed vanilla bean brioche à tête are sure to impress. They offer a perfect balance of textures and flavors – the rich, tender crumb of the brioche, the aromatic warmth of vanilla, and the luscious, melted dark chocolate center. This recipe is an invitation to experience the joy of traditional French baking right in your own home, creating pastries that are far superior to any store-bought alternative.

We are delighted to share these exquisite brioche with fellow food enthusiasts. This recipe has been proudly featured and shared across several wonderful culinary communities, including Cook Blog Share, Totally Talented Tuesdays, Create Link Inspire, Fabulous Foodie Fridays, Foodie Fridiy, Fiesta Friday, Foodie Friends Friday and Friday Favourites. We hope you enjoy baking and savoring these delightful treats as much as we do!