If you were to draw a Venn diagram of classic brioche, a loaf of challah, and pumpkin cinnamon buns, the bull’s eye would lie right here, with this braided pumpkin walnut brioche.
I started experimenting with yeast-based egg breads after a string of failed sourdough attempts (I wasn’t even able to get past making the starter). I know they’re two completely different worlds, but I was desperate to restore my baking confidence and I really wanted an easy and delicious loaf of home made bread. It started with my most familiar bread – a loaf of challah, but then I realized that tweaking a few ingredients opens up a whole world of other breads and that the dough was really happy to take on some fillings.
The main difference between challah and brioche is a generous use of butter in brioche vs. a small amount of vegetable oil in challah. Challah is great for a multi-purpose savoury loaf, but that extra bit of indulgence lies with the brioche. They’re both adaptable for dessert breads, but the higher fat content and use of butter definitely wins in my kitchen when it comes to dessert.
What about the pumpkin? Well, friends, t’is the season. To be completely honest with you, you can’t really taste it. Maybe if you did a side-by-side comparison, it would come through, but you wouldn’t even know it otherwise. Why bother? I personally love the bright orange colour and festive fall vibes that the pumpkin brings, and maybe the ability to justify a few extra slices because pumpkin is a vegetable after all 🙂
So I hope this hodge podge of a recipe will inspire you to try it in your own kitchen. The effort is minimal and a fresh brioche out of the oven is simply amazing! It also makes excellent French Toast.
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