Vegan Brioche Pouches: My Healthy Recipe (No Eggs or Butter)
During this period when “staying at home” is a priority, I’ve rediscovered the value of time and reading. Among my cookbooks picked up at fairs in Catania, I found a gem on natural and macrobiotic pastry.
Inspired by the tips of a master pastry chef with thirty years of experience, I created these pouches made from brioche dough: an incredibly indulgent recipe, without eggs, butter, milk or refined sugar. The result? A fabulous, naturally vegan dough, perfect for anyone looking for a healthy yet flavorful breakfast.
Key Ingredients for Natural Pastry
The secret of this preparation lies in choosing superior-quality ingredients:
Rice Syrup: the ideal substitute for sugar, as it is less caloric and has a slightly more balanced glycemic index, making desserts lighter and easier to digest without sacrificing taste.
Mandarin Jam and Dark Chocolate: for a fragrant and intense center.
No Long Proofing: the real strength! Just a 30-minute rest before baking.
Why try this recipe?
If you are looking for an alternative to industrial sweets, these brioche pouches are the solution. They are ready very quickly and make the ideal snack for the whole family, combining the principles of macrobiotic cooking with the indulgence of Italian tradition.
*[For those interested, the book is titled “Natural Pastry” by Pasquale Boscarello]
TO LEARN MORE: Did you know that rice syrup is a natural sweetener obtained from the cereal’s germination and is rich in maltose and essential minerals? Ideal in vegan and gluten-free recipes. Rice syrup should not be confused with rice malt: malts are produced by combining barley with another cereal while syrups are obtained from a single cereal. In this specific case, rice syrup, not containing barley, is gluten-free and can be consumed by celiacs. It also has another advantage: its glycemic index is comparable to sugar’s, but compared to sugar it is excellent for low-calorie diets because it contains fewer calories and, above all, less fructose.
Other sweet but healthy recipes for breakfast or snack you might like:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 35 Minutes
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6 pouches
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
⚠ IN THIS RECIPE THERE ARE ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog helps support me and my work at no extra cost to you!
- 2 cups type 1 (semi-whole) flour
- 4 1/3 tbsp rice syrup
- 6 tbsp water (lukewarm)
- 2 1/4 tsp fresh brewer's yeast
- 3 1/3 tbsp peanut oil
- 1 tsp lemon zest (untreated)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/8 tsp salt
- 3.5 oz mandarin jam
- to taste 85% dark chocolate
- 3 tsp rice syrup
- 1 tsp water
- to taste powdered sugar
Tools
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Rolling pin
- 1 Dough scraper
- 1 Baking sheet
- 1 Baking mat
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Pastry brush
Preparation
In a small bowl, crumble and dissolve the fresh yeast in the lukewarm water. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients: flour, salt, cinnamon and grated lemon zest.
Pour in the oil right away, incorporating it with hand movements that start from the bottom of the bowl, lifting the flour in a shower and then rubbing it with your fingers.
Then add the rice syrup*.
Finally, add the water with the dissolved yeast, now activated.
Work the dough with your hands until it becomes more cohesive.
Then transfer it to a floured work surface.
Knead until you form a smooth and homogeneous ball.
Flatten the ball slightly, then take the dough from the outside and fold it toward the center, making four folds, one for each side.
Let it rest for 5 minutes, then roll it out with a well-floured rolling pin.
Shape a kind of rectangle about 1/4 in (½ cm) thick, remembering to flour often.
Prepare the by mixing the rice syrup with the water, then brush 3/4 in (about 2 cm) of the dough edge.
Spread the mandarin jam** over the entire surface except for the brushed edges.
Finish with shavings of chocolate.
Roll the sheet from the longest side until you form a cylinder.
With a knife, portion the dough, cutting 6 pieces. Place the pouches on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a reusable Teflon mat as I did, and let them rise for 30′.
After this time, bake at 374°F (190°C) for 18-20 minutes. Once out of the oven, brush them on top with the remaining glaze.
Let dry for a few minutes and decorate with powdered sugar as desired.
And voila… the mandarin and chocolate brioche pouches are ready to enjoy!
Enjoy from La Cucina di FeFè!
Detail…
Storage
👉 The mandarin and chocolate brioche pouches, being free of preservatives and animal fats, keep best for 3-4 days under a glass dome or in an airtight container. To restore their initial softness, warm them for 30 seconds in the oven before eating.
Tips, notes, variations and suggestions
🔵* Choosing rice syrup: as explained above, this sweetener, although having a glycemic index comparable to sugar, is more suitable than sugar for low-calorie diets and for those following a vegan diet. However it can be well substituted with agave syrup, which has a more tolerated glycemic index, or with acacia honey, but only for those who do not require a vegan diet.
🔵** The filling: choosing a citrus jam such as mandarin is purely optional – feel free to substitute with whatever you prefer or have in your pantry, so you can use spreadable creams or another type of jam or preserve.
1. How can the pouches be soft without long proofing?
The secret lies in the 30-minute rest, which allows the gluten network to relax, and in the reaction of the macrobiotic pastry ingredients that keep the dough elastic and fragrant during baking.
2. Can I replace the mandarin jam?
Certainly! This brioche dough base is versatile. You can use apricot jam, vegan hazelnut spread, or simply a sprinkle of cinnamon with diced apples.
