Brioche Wreath

For the sponge:

4 eggs+ 1 egg beaten

25ml milk, warmed slightly

350g strong white bread flour

30g fresh yeast

40g caster sugar

5g salt

200 g butter, cubed 

Sesame seeds

1 whole camembert cheese (in a cardboard carton)

2 bulbs of garlic

5 tsp chestnut puree

5 tsp cranberry sauce

5 tsp pate

Rosemary & fresh cranberries to decorate

 

1. The day before baking: whisk together the eggs and milk. Add the flour to the bowl of a stand mixe with a dough hook, add the sugar and salt to one side and the yeast to the opposite side.

2. Slowly pour in the egg mixture whilst the mixer is on a medium setting. add the butter bit by bit, then increase the speed of the mixer to high and knead for 10-12 mins. Cover the dough with cling film and leave in the fridge overnight to rise.

3. Preheat the oven to 170C fan. Wrap each bulb of garlic in foil and bake in the oven for 40 mins, until the garlic feels soft and squidgy. 

Once the garlic is cool enough to handle squeeze out the garlic into a small bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.

4. On the day: remove the cheese from the carton but leave the cheese in the fridge. Line a large square baking sheet with parchment, place the carton in the centre.

5. Remove the dough out of the fridge, tip out onto a lightly floured surface and divide the mixture into 5.

6. Split the first piece of dough into 5 pieces, take one piece, flatten it in the palm of your hand, then add a tsp of cranberry sauce into each piece, fold the dough over the filing to meet itself, then roll into a ball, repeat with the other 4 pieces of dough.

7. Repeat this process with 2 more large pieces of dough, filling with the chestnut puree and the pate.

8. Repeat the process with the last two large pieces of dough, adding a tsp of the garlic puree into 10 small pieces of dough.

9. Arrange the bun around the carton, 10 for the inner ring and 15 for the outer ring, I like to arrange mine without knowing which filling is which. Leave a little room between each bun.

10. Cover the buns lightly with oiled cling film and leave to rise for 45 mins to an hour, they should double in size. 

11. Preheat the oven to 170C fan.

12. Brush the bun all over with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds, bake for 20 mins, until the buns are golden brown.. 

12. Garnish with fresh rosemary ad cranberries if serving at Christmas time.