Easter is just about a month away, so I think it’s time to offer you some themed recipes, like these chocolate brioche bunnies, which are super easy to make and sugary!
They are made with a simple leavened dough, enriched with dark chocolate chips and then with a little bit of skill, but not too much, you can make bunnies. Aren’t they adorable? I’m sure they will please both adults and children and will look great on your Easter table!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 14 Minutes
- Portions: 12 bunnies
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup butter (melted, lukewarm)
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup milk (for brushing)
- as needed sugar
- as needed dark chocolate chips
Steps
To prepare the chocolate brioche bunnies, put the all-purpose flour, yeast, sugar, and vanilla sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer and mix.
Pour in the lukewarm milk, start the stand mixer and knead. Add the egg and continue kneading until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough.
Gradually add the melted and lukewarm butter and continue kneading until the dough is properly kneaded, meaning it has detached from the sides and bottom of the bowl, wrapped around the hook, and is smooth and elastic. Finally, add the chocolate chips and work the dough until they are evenly distributed inside.
Form a ball with the dough, place it in a bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest until it has doubled in volume, for about 2 hours.
When the dough has doubled in volume, divide it into 12 equal pieces (about 2.3 oz each) and form a rope with each piece of dough. Take the first rope, place it on the work surface forming a ‘U’, so that the tips are facing up, and then, keeping the tips still, make two twists with the dough on itself, as if you were screwing a screw, this will form a bunny. Place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and proceed the same way for the remaining dough.
Brush the bunnies with milk, cover them with plastic wrap and let rest for about 30 minutes.
Before the time is up, preheat the oven to 350°F (static).
Then bake your bunnies (1 sheet at a time), at 350°F for about 14 minutes, until they are slightly golden on the surface.
Meanwhile, prepare a shallow dish with a few tablespoons of sugar.
Remove your bunnies from the oven and, one at a time, immediately brush with milk, then pass it in the sugar so that it sticks all over the surface. Finally, place a few dark chocolate chips in the lower center to create the tail.
Let them cool or enjoy your chocolate brioche bunnies while still warm.
Store them in a food bag or an airtight container for a couple of days. Alternatively, you can also freeze them without any problem!
