Soft and delicious savory brioche bread with pesto… a simple leavened bread to prepare, great on any occasion, to accompany appetizers, as a bread substitute, alongside cold cuts, vegetables, or cheeses. It stays soft and fragrant for a couple of days, just refrigerate and heat it sliced. Try the recipe, the detailed procedure with step-by-step photos is below.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economic
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Energy 160.42 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 20.75 (g) of which sugars 1.59 (g)
- Proteins 5.89 (g)
- Fat 6.38 (g) of which saturated 0.55 (g)of which unsaturated 1.47 (g)
- Fibers 0.99 (g)
- Sodium 158.16 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 60 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp instant yeast (or 2 tbsp dried sourdough starter)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 egg (medium)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/3 cup Genoese pesto
- 1/4 cup cream cheese
- 1 egg yolk (for brushing)
- 1 tbsp milk (for brushing)
Tools
- Loaf Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Stand Mixer with dough hook
- Bowl
Preparation
Place the flour, dry yeast, and sugar in the stand mixer.
Add the beaten egg and vegetable oil, mix with the dough hook on low speed.
Now pour in the milk mixed with water, a little at a time, while still mixing with the hook. Once the liquids are incorporated, add the salt, increase the speed and knead for several minutes, until you have a smooth, cohesive dough that isn’t sticky (1).
Cover the bowl with cling film and let it rise in a sheltered place (like a turned-off oven) for about 2 to 2.5 hours, until the dough has more than doubled in volume (2).
Once the time has passed, roll out the dough on the work surface to form a rectangle. If necessary, use a rolling pin (I used only my hands) and a little flour.
Mix the pesto and cream cheese in a bowl. Spread the mixture, leaving the edges free (3).
Roll up the dough, starting from the narrow side, to form a cylinder (4).
With a knife, cut it in half, leaving the two parts attached at one end (5), then braid them together (6).
Place the braid in a loaf pan, lined with parchment paper. Allow to rise again for about 40-45 minutes.
Finally, brush the surface with a beaten egg yolk mixed with a drop of milk (7).
Place the brioche bread with pesto in a fan oven at 356-374°F and bake for 25-30 minutes. Adjust the times based on your oven and check the cooking by inserting a skewer in the center, if necessary.
The brioche bread with pesto is ready, allow it to cool a bit before slicing because it is very soft.
If you have leftovers, you can store it in the refrigerator in a sealed container and heat it in the oven or toaster.
Tips and Variations
Use a flour suitable for this type of preparation, in my case I used Caputo Nuvola flour. If you want to decrease the amount of yeast, proportionally increase the rising times. Add the liquids gradually, as the quantity may vary depending on the flour used.
You can use homemade pesto or ready-made pesto. As for the cheese, Philadelphia, robiola, or another creamy cheese will work. If desired, you can also add grated Parmesan.
Rising times vary depending on the room’s temperature and humidity; during the cold season, you can preheat the oven to 104°F before letting the dough rise.
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