Belgium Brioche Buns With An Orange Centre…By Phoebe Gale

Directions

In a small saucepan add the milk, stirring in a tsp of sugar.  Place over a low heat for a minute until the milk is luke warm, remove and pour into a bowl, stir in the yeast and leave to stand for 10 minutes, a froth will start to form and float to the top.

Grease a 12 hole muffin tin with the oil.  Sift the flour with the salt into a bowl, add the remaining sugar and zest from the orange.  Making a large well in the centre, pour in the yeasty milk along with the beaten eggs and start to stir the mixture with a large wooden spoon, bringing it together to a soft spongy dough.

Turn out onto a floured surface and knead gently for about 5 minutes until smooth.  Start adding the butter a little at a time, continue to gently knead until the butter is incorporated, this will take about 10 minutes and will leave you with a very sticky dough.

Clean up the surface and your hands, re-flour the surface and continue to knead for a further 10 minutes.  Form into a ball, place in a well oiled bowl, cover loosely with oiled cling film and leave in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours until it doubles in size.

Pour the orange juice or liqueur onto a shallow dish and immerse the sugar cubes to absorb the orange liquid.  Place the dough back on a floured surface, punching with your knuckles to knock it back.  Knead for 1 minute, dividing the dough into 12 equal parts.  Flatten each with the palm of your hand, place a sugar cube in the centre and mould back around, sealing the sugar inside.  Place each sugar dough ball in a muffin tin, seal side down, glaze the tops with beaten egg.  Cover with oiled cling film and leave in a warm place for about 45 minutes until well risen.

Whilst the dough is rising pre-heat your oven 220c-200c fan-gas 7.  Bake the buns in the centre of the oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180c-160c fan- gas4 and bake for a further 10 minutes until well risen and golden brown.  Remove the buns from the oven, loosen with a round bladed knife, turn out onto a wire rack.  Delicious served warm or completely cooled.  Enjoy the orange surprise 🙂 !!!!!!