Saffron Brioche Rolls

I can’t express just how amazingly delicious these are. They are probably my most favourite thing I’ve ever baked and this is only a slight exaggeration,

I love saffron in anything and everything but I hadn’t used it before in baking that much. In Fribourg, in Switzerland, there is a local specialty bread called cuchaule, which is basically a yeasted brioche perfumed with saffron, but I had yet to be able to find it in eastern Switzerland (therefore, stay tuned for a recipe for cuchaule in the following weeks!)

Anyhoo, I woke up one day with the idea that I could make a pumpkin-saffron brioche bread but then I wondered what it would be like if I also filled it with butter and sugar and drizzled it with a saffron syrup right as it comes out of the oven.

The result, my friends, is insanely delicious. Perfumed, sweet and savoury, buttery, these breakfast buns have it all. And they would be perfect on a Sunday morning or for a day off, as they are very special.

If you have whole saffron croci, make sure to grind them well with a pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar, as this will release all of their flavour. You could also buy pre-ground sachets for this recipe although the flavour may not be as strong.

SAFFRON BRIOCHE ROLLS

Ingredients (makes 8 generous rolls)

For the dough

• 200g pumpkin purée

• 1 egg

• 100ml milk, slightly warmed

• 1 pinch of saffron ground with tiny pinch of salt

• 1 tsp salt

• 60g sugar

• 500g flour

For the filling

• 50g butter, softened

• 50g light brown sugar

For the saffron syrup

• 120ml water

• 100g light brown sugar

• pinch of saffron, ground with tiny pinch of salt

Start by making the dough. In a large bowl mix flour and salt. Set aside.

Separately, combine sugar, yeast, pumpkin purée, milk, egg, saffron. Whisk well.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the liquid in. Start to bring it all together with a wooden spoon until it starts forming a dough. Tip onto a floured surface and knead until you have a soft elastic dough, 4-5 minutes.

Alternatively, put all of the ingredients (it’s best to start with the wet ones at the bottom) into the bowl of a stand mixer with the kneading attachment and knead for 3 minutes.

Put the dough into an oiled bowl and cover with a tea towel. Let rise for one hour at room temperature, until doubled in size.

You can also make the dough the night before and let it slowly rise in the fridge over night. When ready to shape, let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes or so.

Knock the air out of the dough and, with a rolling pin, shape it into a large rectangle.

Mix the butter and sugar thoroughly and spread evenly over the dough.

Starting on the right side (so that you are rolling the short side onto itself) roll the dough gently until you have a log.

Divide the log into 8 pieces.

Place rolls cut side up in a baking dish that can accommodate them loosely (they will rise again now, as well as in the oven).

Cover with a tea towel and let them rise another 15-20 minutes.

Preheat the oven at 180 degrees C.

Place saffron rolls in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Make sure to check on them occasionally to make sure they are not browning too fast. If need be, cover them with tinfoil for the last minutes of baking.

Meanwhile, make the saffron syrup. Combine water, sugar and ground saffron in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and let infuse for a few minutes. Turn off the heat.

When beautifully golden and smelling amazing, take the rolls out of the oven. Brush generously with the saffron syrup and let cool before devouring them all in one sitting. Or wait, is that just me?

Let me know if you make them in the comments!

Until next time, xx