50gramsgranulated sugarplus 1 tablespoon for the yeast
300gramsall-purpose flour; more as needed
½tsp.fine salt
1teaspoonground ginger
½teaspoonground cinnamon
¼teaspoonground cardamom
60mldark molasses
1large egg at room temperature
2egg yolksat room temperature
100gramsunsalted butterat room temperature, cut into cubes
The Filling
30gramsunsalted buttersoft enough to spread easily
150gramsbrown sugar
85gramsfinely chopped walnuts
2½teaspoonsground ginger
2½teaspoonsground cinnamon
¼teaspoonground allspice
¼teaspoonnutmeg
½teaspoonground cardamom
1egg yolk, whisked for the egg wash
Instructions
Place the warm milk in a small bowl. Stir in the yeast and 1 tablespoon of the sugar, let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt along with1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom.
Add the milk/yeast mixture and the molasses and mix until just combined. Next add the egg and egg yolks and continue mixing until combined.
Knead the dough by hand until it comes together, then tip it out onto a work surface and knead for about 6 minutes.
Add the butter, a piece or two at a time. Knead until all the butter is fully incorporated and a smooth, soft dough that's slightly sticky is formed, about 5 minutes more.Tip you may want to use a dough scraper in one hand to help incorporate the butter.
Form the dough into a ball and place into a clean, lightly buttered bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Gently punch down the dough, cover, and transfer to the fridge. Let the dough rise for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
Remove the dough from the fridge and divide into 12 equal pieces (I use a scale to weigh the pieces). Lightly oil the cups in a muffin tin.
In a small bowl combine the ground ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice and nutmeg for the filling.
Working with one piece of dough at a time, On a lightly floured work surface roll the dough into a 11 cm x 17 cm rectangle. Brush lightly with some of the softened butter, then sprinkle a tablespoon of the brown sugar, and a ½ teaspoon of the spice mixture evenly over top along with some crushed walnuts, if using.
Starting at the long end, roll the rectangle tightly into a log.
Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the log in half, lengthwise, so the striations of the dough and filling are visible.
With the cut sides facing up, twist the two pieces around each other, or alternately crossing them over and under each other.
Pinch the ends together and shape the dough into a circle, leaving a a little of the ends outside the circle. Overlap the two end pieces and tuck one end under and up the centre hole of the circle, the other end over and through the center hole.
Place into the lightly oiled muffin tin. Repeat with the other pieces of dough. If you have any extra brown sugar or spice mixture sprinkle overtop of the buns. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 175°C / 350 degrees F. Gently whisk the egg yolk and brush over the top of the buns. Bake the buns for 25 to 30 minutes, until dark brown.
Notes
While these Gingerbread Brioche Buns are best eaten freshly baked, once cooled to room temperature they can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Simply microwave for 20-25 seconds before enjoying with a cup of tea or coffee!