Praline, chocolate and hazelnut brioche

A couple of months ago I told you about the benefits of Le Creuset's range of non-stick moulds through a video that I posted on our YouTube channel ( did you see it? ).

The truth is that these are molds that are worth it, they have very reasonable prices and are of very high quality, with a carbon steel base that reaches a high temperature and helps with fabulous cooking; it also has a super reinforced non-stick coating that ensures that its non-stick qualities remain intact despite being subjected to very high temperatures for long baking periods.

Well, after speaking so highly of these moulds, we couldn't help but show you some recipes with them! That's why today we bring you the recipe to prepare a soft and delicious chocolate brioche .

Brioche is a light, soft, butter-enriched bread. It is a French classic. This recipe has a delicious chocolate praline filling with a decoration of chocolate and chopped hazelnuts. A delicious sweet to serve with a good coffee at any time.

Le Creuset rectangular non-stick pan

Ingredients (for 12 servings)

For the brioche:

• 500g strong white flour, plus extra for shaping
• 55 gr of sugar
• 2 cc dry yeast
• 1 cc of salt
• 125 ml of milk
• 5 medium eggs
• 150 gr of softened butter

For the praline and chocolate filling:

• 70 gr of powdered sugar
• 5 tbsp of water
• 80 gr chopped toasted hazelnuts
• 150 gr of dark fondant chocolate
• 6 tbsp cream 18% mg
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder

For the frosting:

• 1 beaten egg

To decorate:

• 55g melted dark chocolate
• 2 tablespoons chopped toasted hazelnuts

Elaboration

Preparation of the brioche dough (the day before):

1. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl . Make a well in the centre, add the milk and eggs and mix everything together with a large spatula to obtain a smooth dough for 5-6 minutes. If using the KitchenAid , mix everything together on medium speed with the flexible side whisk attachment.
2. Add the butter in small pieces and continue to work the mixture with the spatula for another 4-5 minutes, until everything is well combined. Cover the dough and leave it in the refrigerator overnight.

Preparing the praline and chocolate filling

1. Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved (you can stir the saucepan but do not put any utensils in the mixture or it will crystallize). Bring to a simmer and cook until it turns a golden caramel color.
2. Remove from heat and stir in the hazelnuts. Then place the mixture on a baking tray and let it rest.
3. Place the hazelnut caramel in a heavy duty plastic bag and roll it with a rolling pin to obtain pieces of caramel. Set aside.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate filling. In a small frying pan or saucepan, add the chocolate, cream and cocoa and turn the heat to low. Stir with a spatula and melt the mixture until it becomes smooth. Remove from the heat and let it rest in the pan.

KitchenAid Artisan and WMF whisk

Brioche preparation

1. Using a spatula, place the dough you prepared the day before onto a well-floured work surface. Dust your hands and a rolling pin with flour as well and work the dough into a square about 35cm on a side, handling it as little as possible.
2. Spread the prepared chocolate sauce over the dough using a brush or spatula, leaving a 2.5cm border around the edges of the dough. Spread the crushed hazelnut praline over the chocolate.
3. Brush the edge with water and roll the dough like a Swiss roll, placing the ends inward to seal the brioche so that the filling does not escape.
4. Place the brioche in the Le Creuset rectangular mould , with the sealing side at the bottom. Cover with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 2½ to 3 hours or until doubled in size.
5. When the dough is almost ready to rest, preheat the oven to 200 °C.
6. Brush the brioche with the beaten egg and bake for 10 minutes at 200°C. Then reduce the temperature to 170° - 180°C and continue baking for 25-30 minutes until golden.
7. Allow to cool completely in the pan before transferring to a cooling rack .
8. To finish, melt the remaining chocolate in a small bowl over a pan of hot water. Spread it over the top of the cooled brioche and sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons of chopped hazelnuts.