Honey, Cranberry and Pistachio Brioche

Our Honey, Cranberry, and Pistachio Brioche makes for the perfect brunch time centrepiece, incorporating a number of unique flavours and the freshest ingredients. The crispy brioche is filled with a creamy pistachio and fruit filling, delivering a well-balanced breakfast in no time.

The Round Dutch Oven is the ideal piece of cookware to prepare this brioche in, exposing it to a consistent heat source by locking in heat and moisture thanks to its tight-fitting lid and thick, enamelled cast iron walls. The end result is a perfectly crispy exterior with a soft-fluffy interior, offering the ultimate dish to serve alongside coffee or tea.

Our Honey, Cranberry, and Pistachio Brioche is a great recipe to elevate your baking skills with the Dutch Oven taking care of much of the work. This recipe serves between 10 and 12 people, taking over two hours to make. Whether you are heading to a potluck or simply want a delicious dessert to cap off a three-course meal, this recipe accommodates.

Dough

In a small pot, heat the milk with the honey, orange zest, vanilla seeds and pod until steaming. Remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or in a bowl with a wooden spoon), combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt and cardamom.

Remove the vanilla pod from the warm milk and pour over the flour mixture. Mix just until all of the dry ingredients are moistened. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix to combine. Gradually add the butter, a few cubes at a time, until well incorporated.

Knead with the dough hook, or on a floured work surface with your hands, for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Form the dough into a ball and transfer to a generously buttered 5.3 L Round Dutch Oven, turning to coat the dough in the butter. Cover and let sit in a warm spot until doubled in volume, about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.

Filling

Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the cream cheese, pistachio cream, honey, flour, vanilla and egg yolk until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

Clean out the bowl of the food processor. Add the cranberries and coarsely chop. Transfer to a bowl and combine with the sugar and orange zest. Set aside, stirring a few times. Drain off any excess liquid from the cranberry mixture before using.

Assembly

Punch down the dough. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and wash out the Dutch Oven. Cut the dough into 2 equal pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time (keeping the other piece covered in plastic wrap while you work), roll into an 18 x 12-inch rectangle. 

Cover the rectangle of dough with half of the cream cheese mixture and half of the chopped pistachios, leaving a 2-inch boarder with no filling along one of the long ends. Cover with half of the cranberry mixture. Starting at the long end opposite the 2-inch boarder, tightly roll up the dough to form a long log about 2-inches wide. 

With a sharp knife or pastry cutter, cut the log in half lengthwise. Turn the two pieces of the log cut-side up to reveal the filling and lay them beside each other. Attach the two pieces at one end by gently pinching the top inch of each piece together and folding the flap of dough underneath. Gently twist the two pieces together, making sure to keep the filling side up and twisting as tightly as possible without tugging on the dough. Repeat with the remaining dough, cream cheese, pistachios and cranberry filling.

Line a 5.3 L Round Dutch Oven with a circle of parchment paper. Coil one piece of twisted dough into a tight circle and place in the centre of the Dutch Oven. Coil the second piece of twisted dough around the first piece of dough to fill the bottom of the French Oven. Tuck the edges under to seal.

Cover the Dutch Oven and let the bread rise in a warm spot until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). 

In a small bowl, whisk the egg white with the milk. Brush over the top of the bread and sprinkle with the pistachios and salt. Drizzle with the honey.

Bake on the middle rack of the oven, covered, for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for another 20 minutes or until nicely golden and cooked through. Let the bread cool for at least 15 minutes in the Dutch Oven before unmoulding and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.