Steps for Messina Viennese, Brioche with Diplomatic Cream

• To prepare these delicious Viennese, the first thing to do is make the brioche dough. I used the stand mixer, but you can knead everything by hand in a large bowl and then on the kneading board. In the stand mixer’s bowl, add sifted flour, vanilla, rum, yeast dissolved in two fingers of milk, and granulated sugar, and knead for a few minutes at speed 1-2 using the dough hook. Then add the eggs and let knead a few moments longer. Then add the remaining milk little by little and continue kneading. Also add the salt. Finally, gradually add the soft butter in pieces, let it be absorbed well, and continue kneading. To obtain a smooth and homogeneous dough, it will take a total of at least 15-18 minutes or until the dough is well incorporated. Let the dough rise in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap for about 2-3 hours in an oven with the light on. Once the dough has tripled in volume, pour it onto a floured kneading board, gently take some pieces of dough, and form balls about 80-90 g each. Let rest covered with cloth for 15 minutes. Take the balls and stretch them with your hands, forming tapered strips at the ends. Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let rise again covered for 1-2 hours. When they have doubled in volume, bake in a preheated static oven at 356°F for 15 minutes or until golden. Turn off, remove from oven, and let cool.

  

• Pour the milk into a small pot and place on the stove to heat. In a separate bowl, whisk the yolks with sugar and vanilla essence. Then add the cornstarch and mix well. Pour the egg mixture into the milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly with the whisk to prevent lumps from forming and to thicken completely. Remove from heat and lay plastic wrap in contact with the mixture and let cool to room temperature for a few hours.

  

• Whip the fresh liquid cream in a bowl. When the pastry cream is cold, combine the whipped cream in several movements and mix from bottom to top using a hand whisk to obtain a homogeneous cream. Place in a piping bag equipped with a star tip.

  

• Make a central cut on each Viennese and fill with the cream using the piping bag. Finally, dust the surface with powdered sugar and serve. And here they are, the Messina Viennese. I hope you like my latest recipe, see you next time friends.