Apparently, early varieties of cherries are already in season – the perfect excuse to make cherry brioche buns ;). Soft, buttery and rich with eggs, this dough is surprisingly easy to work with. One of its biggest advantages is that it rises overnight in the fridge, so in the morning you can go straight to shaping the buns. Cherry brioche buns are perfect for a picnic, a family day out, second breakfast or a lovely afternoon treat!
Makes 15 small buns.
Ingredients for cherry brioche buns:
- 380 g strong white bread flour
- 50 g caster sugar
- 7 g dried yeast or 14 g fresh yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 100 ml milk
- 3 large eggs
- 170 g butter, softened
Additionally:
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk (for brushing)
- flaked almonds
- icing: ¾ cup icing sugar mixed with 2 tablespoons boiling water and a few drops of almond extract
In a mixer, combine the flour, sugar, yeast (if using fresh yeast, prepare a starter first) and salt. Add the milk and eggs, then mix until smooth (about 5 minutes with a mixer or 8 minutes by hand). Add the softened butter and continue mixing (about 5 minutes with a mixer or 10 minutes by hand) until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, remove the dough from the fridge and briefly knead it. Prepare two baking trays and line them with muffin cases. Divide the dough into 15 equal portions (about 50 g each). Shape into balls and place in the muffin cases. Arrange on the trays, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place to double in size (about 1½–2 hours).
Before baking, make a small well in each bun (for example, using the base of a glass). Fill with the cherry filling (recipe below). Brush the dough around the filling with the egg wash and sprinkle with flaked almonds.
Bake at 180°C for about 20 minutes, until golden. Remove, cool slightly on a wire rack, then drizzle with icing. If any filling remains, you can spoon a little more into the centres once cooled.
Ingredients for cherry filling:
- 450 g cherries (fresh or frozen)
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon potato starch (or cornflour) + 1 tablespoon water
In a small saucepan, combine the fruit and sugar. Heat over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the fruit releases its juices. Add the lemon juice and the starch mixed with water. Stir well, bring to the boil, then remove from heat and leave to cool.
Enjoy! 
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