Brioche with many egg yolks

When I make sweet bread with lots of egg yolks, I start early in the morning to have time for all the steps. I've tried various versions over the years, but this recipe turned out the fluffiest and most aromatic, without being heavy. You don't need special tools or complicated techniques, just patience and attention to temperature.

Quick Info

Total time: about 5 hours (including rising)
Preparation time: 1.5 hours (with manual kneading 1–1.25 hours)
Rising time: 2.5 hours
Baking time: about 1 hour
Servings: 2 large sweet breads
Difficulty: medium, due to the kneading time
Traditional sweet bread recipe, suitable for holidays or special occasions

Ingredients

Dough:
approximately 1 kg flour
20 g dry yeast
15 egg yolks
280 g sugar
5 packets of vanilla sugar
450 ml whole milk
60 ml oil
150 g butter
zest of 2 lemons
1/2 teaspoon salt
100 ml milk + 1 tablespoon flour (for scalding)

Poppy seed filling:
300 g ground poppy seeds
100 ml milk
200 g sugar
3 packets of vanilla sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Nut and Turkish delight filling:
200 g ground walnuts
65 ml milk
1 tablespoon honey
180 g sugar
2 packets of vanilla sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
100 g raisins
1 teaspoon rum essence
80 g Turkish delight cut into small cubes

For brushing:
2 egg yolks mixed with 2 tablespoons milk
poppy seeds for sprinkling

Preparation method

1. Prepare all ingredients in advance at room temperature. Don’t rush this step, as it greatly helps the dough rise.

2. Sift the flour directly into a large bowl. Mix the flour with the dry yeast.

3. Whisk the egg yolks well with the salt until they turn a deeper color. Cover and set aside for 45–60 minutes.

4. In a saucepan, heat 450 ml of milk together with 280 g of sugar and the 5 packets of vanilla sugar. Stir and keep on the heat until all the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature – the milk should be just warm, not hot, when you use it.

5. In a small saucepan, bring 100 ml of milk to a boil. When it boils, add 1 tablespoon of flour and stir vigorously to avoid lumps. You will get a paste (scalding). Let it cool.

6. In the bowl with flour and yeast, pour in the egg yolks, the cooled scalding, and the zest of the 2 lemons. Begin mixing with your hand or a large spoon.

7. Gradually add the milk with the dissolved sugar, little by little. Knead and gradually incorporate the oil.

8. The butter should be softened (not completely melted). Add it to the dough in 3-4 batches, continuing to knead vigorously.

9. Kneading should last at least an hour. The dough should be elastic and not stick to your hands. I kneaded for about 1 hour and 15 minutes until I reached the right texture.

10. Place the dough in a large bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for 2 hours.

11. During this time, prepare the fillings:

For the poppy seed filling: Heat 100 ml of milk with 200 g of sugar and 3 packets of vanilla sugar. When the sugar dissolves, add the honey, ground poppy seeds, and lemon zest. Mix well and let it cool.

For the nut and Turkish delight filling: Boil 65 ml of milk with 180 g of sugar and 2 packets of vanilla sugar until the sugar dissolves. Pour over the ground walnuts, add the honey, lemon zest, raisins, and rum. Mix well and let it cool. You will add the Turkish delight directly to the dough when rolling.

12. After rising, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide it into two equal pieces.

13. Take the first piece and divide it into two. Take each piece, stretch it by hand (no rolling pin needed, the dough is soft). Place half of the poppy seed filling on each and roll tightly. Do the same with the other piece and the remaining poppy filling. Braid the two rolls and place them in a lined or greased loaf pan.

14. The second piece is divided into three. Stretch two pieces and place the nut filling on each, then roll. On the third piece, place the Turkish delight, rolling gently. Braid the three rolls and transfer them to a second loaf pan.

15. Let the sweet breads rise for another 30 minutes in their pans in a warm place.

16. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to medium temperature (180°C, if you know your oven's exact temperature).

17. Before baking, brush each sweet bread with the egg yolk mixed with milk. Sprinkle poppy seeds on top.

18. Bake in the preheated oven for about an hour. After 45 minutes, check if they are browning evenly. If they are coloring too quickly on top, you can place a piece of baking paper over them.

19. Remove the sweet breads from the oven when they are nicely browned. Let them sit in the pans for 10-15 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.

Why I make this recipe often

The sweet bread turns out fluffy, doesn’t dry out quickly, and retains its aroma for a few days. It may seem tedious, but if you follow the steps, the result is worth it. Plus, you can adapt the fillings based on what you have on hand.

Tips and Variations

Tips

If using fresh yeast, make sure to dissolve it first.
All ingredients should be at room temperature.
Long kneading is key, don’t skip it.
Don’t add all the milk at once – control the dough's texture by eye.
Let the sweet bread cool before slicing, otherwise, it will collapse.
Substitutions

You can use raisins only in the nut filling or omit them.
Turkish delight can be replaced with chocolate chips or dried fruits.
If you don’t have poppy seeds, use only walnuts or vice versa.
Variations

You can use natural vanilla essence instead of packets of vanilla sugar.
You can add a bit of cinnamon to the poppy seed or nut filling.
Serving Ideas

Sliced, it goes well for breakfast with a glass of milk or coffee.
It can be beautifully wrapped and given as a gift.
It can be used for bread pudding if you have leftover dry slices.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use fresh yeast instead of dry yeast?
Yes, but you need to activate it separately with a bit of warm milk and sugar before adding it to the flour.

2. How far in advance can I make the sweet bread?
It’s best fresh, but it keeps well for 3-4 days at room temperature, wrapped.

3. What do I do if the dough is too soft or too hard?
If it's too soft, sprinkle in a bit of flour gradually. If it's too hard, add a tablespoon of milk at a time until it becomes elastic.

4. Can I use a mixer with a dough hook?
You can, but with this quantity and so many egg yolks, manual kneading helps with the final texture. The mixer reduces the working time, but it doesn’t completely eliminate the need for hand kneading at the end.

5. Should the fillings be cold or warm when I put them on the dough?
They should be at room temperature or cold, not warm, as this affects the dough's rising.

Nutritional Values

Estimated per slice (from one sweet bread, cut into 16 large slices): approximately 320 kcal, 8 g protein, 47 g carbohydrates, 11 g fat. These are approximate values and vary based on the thickness of the slices and the amount of filling. The sweet bread is energy-dense, rich in sugar and fats from eggs and butter.

Storage and Reheating

The sweet bread keeps best at room temperature, wrapped in a clean towel or in a paper bag, for 3-4 days. I do not recommend the fridge, as it dries out the crumb. It can be reheated for a few seconds in the microwave or in the oven, but it is not recommended to do this repeatedly, just for individual slices. If you want to keep it longer, you can freeze slices and thaw them at room temperature.

We prepare the ingredients in advance at room temperature. In a large bowl, sift the flour and mix it with the dry yeast. We beat the egg yolks well with salt and let them rest for 45-60 minutes until their color intensifies. We heat the milk with sugar and vanilla sugar until the sugar completely dissolves. Let the milk cool until it is just warm. In a small pot, bring 100 ml of milk to a boil, then add 1 tablespoon of flour and mix well to avoid lumps. Over the flour mixed with yeast, add the egg yolks, the cooled mixture, lemon zest, and start kneading gently while gradually adding the milk with sugar and oil. Melt the butter gently, ensuring it remains in whole pieces, not fully melted. Gradually add the butter and continue kneading until you obtain an elastic, non-sticky dough (kneading should last at least one hour; I kneaded for about 1 hour and 15 minutes). Place the formed dough in a large bowl and let it rise in a warm place, away from drafts, for 2 hours. Meanwhile, prepare the fillings. Boil the milk with sugar, stirring periodically until the sugar dissolves. Add honey, ground poppy seeds, lemon zest, and vanilla and mix well. Do the same for the walnut filling but add raisins and rum as well. Divide the dough into 2 approximately equal parts. Split the first part into 2. Roll each piece out well (I used my hands; I didn't need a rolling pin) and place the poppy filling. Roll it up tightly and braid the 2 rolls together. Place the loaf in the pan while you prepare the other one. Divide the second part into 3. Roll each piece out well; on one, place the Turkish delight and roll it up gently, while on the other two, place the walnut mixture, roll them well, and then braid them. Let the loaves rise in the pan for 30 minutes, then bake them in the preheated oven for about 1 hour. 15-20 minutes before they are done, brush them with egg yolk and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

 Ingredients: Dough: approx. 1 kg flour, 20 g dry yeast, 15 egg yolks, 280 g sugar, 5 sachets of vanilla sugar, 450 ml full-fat milk, 60 ml oil, 150 g butter, zest of 2 lemons, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 100 ml milk + 1 tablespoon of flour for scalding. Poppy seed filling: 300 g ground poppy seeds, 100 ml milk, 200 g sugar, 3 sachets of vanilla sugar, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Walnut and Turkish delight filling: 200 g ground walnuts, 65 ml milk, 1 tablespoon of honey, 180 g sugar, 2 sachets of vanilla sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 100 g raisins, 1 teaspoon rum essence, 80 g diced Turkish delight. For brushing: 2 egg yolks mixed with 2 tablespoons of milk, poppy seeds for sprinkling.

 Tags:  sweet bread