All things Pumpkin - playing now!
I predict a shortage of pumpkin - at least in certain markets - yes, I could be wrong - but buy a can or two, so you have it on hand. Don’t worry it lasts a while. Leftovers can also be frozen.
These kolaches can be done on your time. Brioche is one of those yeasted doughs that is not as mysterious or complicated as we make it out to be. Just follow the steps - and it will all come together.
Timeline and Components:
Pumpkin brioche, Streusel topping, Cream Cheese Filling
Timeline: Day before baking. 1. Make pumpkin brioche, chill. 2. Make crumb topping. 3. Make cream cheese filling.
Pumpkin Brioche: (Kolaches)
This dough can be done up to one week ahead and frozen. thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before using.
Equipment: Scale, Stand mixer, dough hook and paddle attachments, bowl scraper, spatula, quarter sheet or pan lined with buttered parchment, plastic wrap or a silpat. *A light greased cake pan will work too.
Your pumpkin brioche MEP - the yeast and water are combined in the mixer.
Ingredients:
50g water (80 degrees)
5g Instant Yeast
85g Pumpkin puree
28g Brown Sugar (light or dark)
101g (2 each) eggs - large
1g Pumpkin pie spice (about 1/2 teaspoon) or (1g cinnamon + 1 good pinch nutmeg + 1 good pinch ground ginger)
300g Bread Flour (KA or Gold Medal)
5g salt
85g Unsalted butter - room temperature cut into pieces
To mix:
1. In the bowl of the stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook - combine water and yeast - stir for 10 seconds until combined, scrape down any yeast clinging to the side of the bowl and let sit for 5 minutes - use a timer.
2. Add the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, bread flour, salt.
3. Mix on low/medium speed for 3 minutes - the dough will begin to come together.
4. Turn off mixer, change to the paddle attachment and add the pieces of softened butter.
5. Mix on med/low speed until the butter is fully incorporated.
6. Change back to the dough hook and mix on medium low speed for 5 minutes.
7. Scrape the dough out onto the lined quarter sheet pan or cake pan - cover and let sit (bulk ferment) at room temperature for 1 hour.
8. After 1 hour - refrigerate overnight. At this point the dough can be frozen (well wrapped) for up to 2 weeks.
Pumpkin Brioche Video Tutorial
Streusel/Crumb Topping
This recipe is from my friend Chef Gena and it is perfect - with melted butter this streusel topping goes together quickly. You can double or triple this recipe. It keeps for weeks in the refrigerator and months - yes months in the freezer.
Equipment: Medium sized bowl, spatula
Ingredients:
75g All purpose flour
30g Granulated sugar
30g Brown sugar
1g Salt
1g Cinnamon
43g Melted butter
1. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl, add melted butter. Mix until dry ingredients are moistened. Using your fingers break up the lumps of crumble into small pieces.
Cream Cheese Filling
Make the filling the day before and chill overnight or for a few hours before using so that it firms up a little.
Equipment: Mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, spatula and bowl scraper, container for storage.
Cream Cheese Filling Mise en Place
Ingredients
113g Cream cheese (softened)
28g Butter (softened)
57g Granulated sugar
18g (1 each large) Egg yolk
4g (1 teas) Vanilla Extract or Vanilla bean paste
20g Bread or AP flour
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the cream cheese and butter.
Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed until smooth. Stop mixer and scrape down.
2. Add sugar, mix until combined about 1 minute.
3. Add egg yolk, vanilla extract, mix until combined about one minute.
4. Turn off mixer, scrape down, add flour and mix on low speed until combined.
5. Scrape into a container, cover and store in refrigerator. Keeps for 7 days in the refrigerator. Do not freeze.
Finishing equipment: 1/2 sheet pan lined with parchment or a silicone mat, bench cutter, bowl scraper, flour, a glass with a _____” bottom we’ll use this make the platform.
Egg wash: 1 egg with a pinch of salt beaten until perfectly smooth
Assembly:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Scale all the brioche to 71g balls. Throw flour down on the work surface and gently round. They will be sticky and should be as round as possible. Cover with plastic wrap or slide into the giant XL bag and let proof for 1 hour. The bags are pictured below - my favorite way to proof yeasted doughs at home.
Brush with egg wash and slightly flatten the balls of dough, center the glass bottom on top of the dough and press down to create a flat center.
Fill the center with cream cheese filling and sprinkle the edge with crumb topping.
Bake at 375 for 22-24 minutes or until they are a beautiful golden brown,