With the barbecue season upon us, bakeries around the country are stocking up on burger buns. For Brasserie Bread – a popular bakery brand known for its artisan sourdough – this is a perfect opportunity to be inspired by North American and French bakery traditions.
Brasserie Bread’s slider brioche buns have become quite the sensation with enthusiastic entertainers throughout Melbourne and Sydney.
The miniature burger buns are made from a sweet yeasted dough, with high quality cultured butter in a traditional French-style brioche.
For Brasserie Bread founder and director Michael Klausen, however, the beauty of this gourmet bun goes beyond its golden shell and deliciously soft buttery crumb.
“The best thing about this recipe is its endless possibilities,” Michael says.
“For a crowd-pleasing canapé option, fill these buns with beef, beetroot, pickles, spinach and tomato relish. Or, transform these mini burger buns into a decadent dessert by sandwiching a scoop of your favourite ice cream.”
The buns are perfect for sliders, which are getting a run for their money across the country as the burgeoning North American food trend continues to gain legs. And, while the brioche dough can be temperamental, Michael encourages bakers to not only give it a go, but to also get creative.
“Brioche is incredibly versatile. We actually work with a local ice creamery in South Melbourne called Jock’s Ice Cream. We collaborated with them for a few weeks to create the mini brioche ice cream sandwiches,” he says.
“The brioche is sweet and, when it’s toasted and warm, it’s absolutely beautiful with ice cream or sorbet. The best way to achieve the soft texture and buttery flavour is to heat or toast the bun and then cut it open.”
BRIOCHE DOUGH
Makes 10 800g brioche burger buns
WHAT YOU NEED
340g unbleached organic plain flour (Brasserie Bread uses Kialla flour)
20g caster sugar
8g river salt
22g fresh yeast
190g organic eggs
60g organic milk
170g unsalted artisan butter at room temperature
What to DO
1. Sift the flour into a large bowl and rub in the yeast with your fingertips.
2. Mix together the sugar, milk, salt and eggs and then add to the flour.
3. Combine together using a wooden spoon, then scrape out mixture onto a clean bench.
4. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes. The dough will be quite sticky.
5. Cover dough with the bowl and allow to rest for 10 minutes to reinforce the gluten structure and to reduce the total mixing time.
6. Incorporate the softened butter and knead until you reach a smooth, elastic dough.
7. Remove the dough from the fridge. Divide into 80g balls and allow to prove for one hour. Then brush with egg wash, add a sprinkling of sesame seeds, and bake in the oven at 200 ̊C until golden brown and the brioche is springy to touch.
8. Allow to cool slightly, then enjoy!
SMOKED TROUT BRIOCHE BURGER BUN RECIPE
“One of our specials at our Sydney Café has been the ‘bun in the oven’ brioche made with smoked trout and our rich Brioche Burger Bun,” Michael says.
“Oozing with melted Gruyere cheese and soft poached eggs, this is the ultimate dish for Sunday brunch.”
WHAT YOU NEED
4 Brasserie Bread Brioche Burger Buns
60g finely grated Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra, to drizzle
150g baby spinach
300g thinly sliced smoked trout
4 eggs, soft poached (2 minutes)
What to do
1. Preheat oven to 170°C.
2. Cut tops off brioche burger buns. Reserve tops. Hollow out brioche, leaving a shell of about 1.5cm thickness. Reserve filling. Place brioche and tops on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Set aside.
3. Tear brioche filling into 1cm pieces and place on a separate oven tray. Bake for two minutes or until lightly golden. Set aside. Increase oven temperature to 200°C.
4. Place cheese, sour cream, mustard and chives in a bowl and combine. Set aside.
5. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add spinach and stir until just wilted.
6. Place trout into the hollowed out brioche and top with spinach. Top each with a poached egg. Gently spread cheese mixture over top of egg.
7. Bake for five minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Serve scattered with brioche croutons and drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil. Place brioche tops to the side of each brioche.
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