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Brioche and Red Fruit Swirls ~ ABRAMS Dinner Party ~ Lydia's Flexitarian Kitchen
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Brioche and Red Fruit Swirls

Prep Time2 hours
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time2 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 10 -12
Author: LydiaF

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup lukewarm milk
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 envelope 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour plus more for kneading
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 beaten eggs
  • 9 tablespoons butter 1 stick plus one tablespoon, cut into cubes
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 bag about 10 ounces frozen red fruit (mine had strawberries, blackberries and blue berries and currants)

For the glaze

  • 1/4 cup ricotta
  • 1 1/2 to 2 cups confectioner's sugar

Instructions

  • In a small bowl whisk the sugar, milk and yeast together. Set aside for 10 minutes or so until it starts foaming.
  • In your largest bowl, measure the flour and salt and stir to combine. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture and the eggs. Pull the flour in from the sides and combine until there's no dry flour left and the mix comes together loosely.
  • Spread a little bit of flour on your kneading surface and knead for 5 minutes or so. Add small amounts of flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking. After awhile the dough will change from something kind of loose and messy into a ball that feels smooth and supple.
  • Start adding the butter, two pieces at a time. I kind of smooshed mine into the center of the dough and folded the sides around it before continuing to knead. Be sure to add small amounts of flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking. After awhile I didn't need to add it anymore.
  • Once the butter has been worked into the dough, place it in a greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 90 minutes.
  • After the dough has risen, knead it again briefly. Dust the work surface with more flour and roll the dough into a large rectangle about 16x24 inches. (Mine was smaller as I didn't have that much area available on my countertop.)
  • Sprinkle the brown sugar on the rectangle and scatter the fruit on top. Move any large pieces of fruit so they're evenly distributed over the dough.
  • Roll the dough from the short side into a log. Wrap it in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 15 - 20 minutes.
  • Unwrap the dough and slice it in to 10 - 12 spirals. Place the spirals on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Leave enough space between them to allow them to continue to rise.
  • Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise for another 30 minutes or place them in the fridge to allow for an overnight rise. Let the refrigerated spirals set at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking.
  • To bake, preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Remove the plastic wrap from the baking trays and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
  • To make the glaze, whisk the ricotta and add the confectioner's sugar a tablespoon at a time until it forms a thick glaze. I ended up using a stick blender to get mine nice and smooth.
  • Transfer the glaze to a zip top bag. Cut off one corner and squeeze the glaze onto the spirals.
  • Serve the spirals warm or at room temperature. They can also be reheated briefly (15 seconds or so) in the microwave.