Festive-Filled Brioche Centerpiece with Baked Camembert

A stunning brioche centerpiece with festive fillings and a warm baked Camembert, perfect for holiday gatherings!

Festive-Filled Brioche Centerpiece with Baked Camembert

A stunning brioche centerpiece with festive fillings and a warm baked Camembert, perfect for holiday gatherings!
Couverts8
(including chilling and rising time) 1 hour 50 minutes
Deel op Facebook Print Recipe

Equipment

  • Baking sheet
  • Kitchen mixer with dough hook
  • foil
  • Baking parchment
  • Cling film

Ingredients

Brioche Dough

  • 4 large eggs
  • 20 ml milk
  • 350 g strong white bread flour
  • 7 g sachet fast-action dried yeast
  • 30 g caster sugar
  • 1/2 tsp mixed spice
  • 200 g unsalted butter cubed and softened

Camembert

  • 1 whole 250g vegetarian Camembert in a wooden stapled carton
  • 2-3 sprigs thyme
  • 1 egg beaten with a pinch of salt
  • Poppy seeds for scattering

Fillings

  • 1 garlic bulb
  • 1 tbsp quince paste membrillo, mashed
  • 5 cooked chestnut halves
  • 1/2 tbsp dried chopped cranberries mixed with 1/2 tbsp cranberry sauce
  • 1 tbsp mushroom pâté

Decoration

  • Fresh rosemary sprigs or bay leaves
  • 30 g fresh cranberries

Instructions

  • The Day Before: In a jug, whisk together the eggs and milk.
  • In the bowl of a kitchen mixer with a dough hook, combine bread flour, yeast, caster sugar, salt, and mixed spice.
  • On a medium setting, slowly pour in the egg mixture to form a very soft, wet dough.
  • Add the butter and increase the speed, kneading for 8-10 minutes until the dough clings to the dough hook.
  • Cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight.
  • Prepare the Garlic: Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
  • Line a baking sheet with foil.
  • Cut off the top of the garlic bulb, drizzle with olive oil, and season.
  • Wrap the garlic in foil to create a sealed parcel and bake for 35-45 minutes until softened.
  • Remove from the oven, cool, and squeeze out the cloves, mashing them with a fork.
  • On the Day: Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  • Remove the Camembert from its wooden carton and place the carton in the center of the tray.
  • Divide the Dough: Tip the chilled dough onto a floured surface and divide it into 5 equal pieces.
  • Make Filled Brioche Buns: Take one piece of dough and divide it into 5 smaller pieces.
  • Roll each piece into a ball, make a small indent, fill with 1/2 tsp of the roasted garlic, and pinch the dough to seal.
  • Place the sealed side down on a floured surface, cupping and rotating to form a round shape.
  • Repeat Step 5 for each filling (quince paste, chestnut, cranberry mixture, and mushroom pâté) to create 25 filled buns in total.
  • Arrange the filled buns around the wooden Camembert carton on the baking tray, placing 10 in the inner ring and 15 in the outer ring with 0.
  • 5cm space between each for rising.
  • Cover with oiled cling film and let rise in a warm place for 30-40 minutes or until almost doubled in size.
  • Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5.
  • Cut a small circle of rind from the top of the Camembert, sprinkle with thyme leaves, and place the cheese in the carton, cut side up.
  • Brush the buns with beaten egg and scatter with poppy seeds.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes until the buns are golden brown.
  • Decorate with rosemary or bay leaves and fresh cranberries before serving.

Notes & Wine Advice

Wine Advice
Serve with a light, fruity wine such as Beaujolais or a chilled Chardonnay to complement the richness of the cheese and the buttery brioche.

Nutrition values

Calories: 516 kcal | Carbohydrates: 32 g | Protein: 18 g | Fat: 51 g | Sugar: 12 g
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Course; Appetizer / Bread / Cheese / Tapas
Cuisine; French
Diets; Vegetarian