Apple Pumpkin Brioche Braid: 6 Secrets Revealed

Why Make This Apple Pumpkin Brioche Braid

This Apple Pumpkin Brioche Braid is more than just a baked good. Here’s why you will love it:

• Soft and Fluffy: Brioche dough is famous for its soft and buttery texture. This recipe tastes even richer with pumpkin.
• Autumn Flavors: Pumpkin, apple, and spices taste great together in this brioche.
• Looks Beautiful: The braided shape makes it a great dish for any meal or party.
• Good for Any Time: This brioche braid works for breakfast, afternoon tea, or a special holiday.
• Fun to Bake: You will enjoy making this yeast dough and watching it become something special.

How to Make Apple Pumpkin Brioche Braid

Making this brioche braid is simple if you follow these steps. You will prepare the dough, make the apple filling, braid the dough, and then bake it.

Ingredients of Apple Pumpkin Brioche Braid

For the Brioche Dough:

• All-Purpose Flour
• Granulated Sugar
• Active Dry Yeast
• Salt
• Unsalted Butter, softened
• Large Eggs
• Pumpkin Puree (not pie filling)
• Warm Milk
• Vanilla Extract
• Ground Cinnamon
• Ground Nutmeg

For the Apple Filling:

• Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced
• Brown Sugar
• Ground Cinnamon
• Lemon Juice
• Cornstarch
• Unsalted Butter

For the Egg Wash and Topping:

• Large Egg
• Milk or Water
• Demerara Sugar or Pearl Sugar (optional)

Directions of Apple Pumpkin Brioche Braid

Step 1: Prepare the Brioche Dough

• Activate Yeast: Warm the milk and add a little sugar. Sprinkle yeast over the milk and wait 5-10 minutes until it looks foamy.
• Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
• Add Wet Ingredients: Pour the yeast mixture, pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla into the dry ingredients.
• Knead Dough: Use a mixer with a dough hook (or your hands). Mix until the dough forms. Add softened butter slowly until it mixes in.
• Knead Until Smooth: Keep kneading for 8-10 minutes (12-15 by hand). The dough should be smooth and pull away from the bowl.
• First Rise: Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm place for 1.5-2 hours, until it doubles in size.
• Chill Dough: Gently press down the dough, cover it, and put it in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight. This makes it easier to work with.

Step 2: Prepare the Apple Filling

• Cook Apples: Melt butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Cook, stirring, until apples are soft but still a little firm (8-10 minutes).
• Thicken Filling: Mix cornstarch with a tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Stir this mix into the apple mixture. Cook for one more minute until the filling gets thick.
• Cool Completely: Take it off the heat. Let the apple filling cool completely before you use it.

Step 3: Assemble and Braid Your Brioche

• Prepare Area: Lightly flour your work surface.
• Divide Dough: Take the cold brioche dough from the fridge. Divide it into three equal parts.
• Roll Each Part: Roll each part into a long rectangle, about 12×6 inches.
• Add Filling: Spread one-third of the cool apple filling evenly on each rectangle. Leave a small space around the edges.
• Roll and Seal: Start from a long edge and roll each rectangle tightly into a log. Press the edges firmly to seal the filling inside. You will have three filled logs.
• Braid: Place the three logs side by side. Pinch one end firmly together. Start braiding the logs, keeping the braid tight.
• Seal the End: Once braided, pinch the other end firmly to seal it.
• Shape: You can leave it as a straight braid or form it into a circle, joining the ends to make a wreath shape.

Step 4: Second Rise and Bake

• Second Rise: Move the braided brioche to a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cover loosely and let it rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes, until it looks puffy.
• Preheat Oven: While it rises, heat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Prepare Egg Wash: In a small bowl, mix the egg and milk (or water) for the egg wash.
• Apply Egg Wash and Top: Gently brush the risen brioche braid with the egg wash. If you want, sprinkle demerara or pearl sugar on top for crunch.
• Bake: Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the brioche braid is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. If it browns too fast, cover it lightly with foil.
• Cool: Take it from the oven and put it on a wire rack to cool completely before cutting and serving.

How to Serve Apple Pumpkin Brioche Braid

You can enjoy this brioche braid in many ways:

• Plain Slices: Eat a warm slice as it is.
• With Drinks: It goes well with coffee or tea.
• With Cream: Serve with crème fraîche, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream for a rich dessert.
• Brunch Showstopper: It looks impressive on its own for brunch.
• French Toast: Leftover slices make delicious French toast.
• Snack: It is a good snack or lunchbox item.

How to Store Apple Pumpkin Brioche Braid

Store leftover Apple Pumpkin Brioche Braid at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can freeze slices for longer storage.

Tips to Make Apple Pumpkin Brioche Braid

• Don’t Rush Rising: Let the dough rise fully for a soft brioche. Be patient.
• Chill Dough: Chilling the dough makes it much easier to handle.
• Cool Filling: Make sure the apple filling is cool. Warm filling can make the dough sticky.
• Use Correct Pumpkin: Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
• Storage: Keep it in an airtight container at room temperature.

Variations

• Nutty Crunch: Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the apple filling.
• Cream Cheese Swirl: Spread a thin layer of sweetened cream cheese over the apple filling before rolling.
• Spiced Glaze: Mix powdered sugar, milk, and cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice for a glaze. Drizzle it over the cooled braid.
• Pear Twist: Use diced pears instead of some or all of the apples.
• Chocolate Chips: Add a handful of mini chocolate chips to the apple filling for a fun change.

FAQs

Q1: Can I make the Apple Pumpkin Brioche Braid dough ahead of time?

Yes, you can. Chilling the dough overnight in the fridge is good. It makes the dough taste better and easier to work with. You can make the dough up to 2 days before you bake.

Q2: What gives the Apple Pumpkin Brioche Braid a nice golden color?

The egg wash does this. Brush the braid with whisked egg and milk before baking. This gives it a beautiful, shiny, golden-brown crust. Do not skip this step.

Q3: My Apple Pumpkin Brioche Braid is dense. What went wrong?

A dense brioche usually means the dough did not rise enough. Make sure your yeast is fresh and let the dough rise in a warm place until it doubles in size.

Classic Apple Pumpkin Brioche Braid

This delightful Classic Apple Pumpkin Brioche Braid combines a tender, rich brioche dough infused with pumpkin and autumnal spices, wrapped around a sweet and tart apple filling. Perfect for a festive breakfast or a comforting dessert, this braided loaf is a true showstopper.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 6 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Servings: 8 slices

Calories: 550

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the Brioche Dough:

• 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter softened
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree not pie filling
• 1/4 cup Warm Milk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

For the Apple Filling:

• 2 medium Granny Smith Apples peeled, cored, and finely diced
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter

For the Egg Wash and Topping:

• 1 Large Egg
• 1 tablespoon Milk or Water
• 1 tablespoon Demerara Sugar or Pearl Sugar optional

Equipment

• Small bowl
• Large mixing bowl
• Stand mixer
• Dough hook
• Plastic wrap
• Clean kitchen towel
• Medium saucepan
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Wire rack
• Whisk

Method

 

Prepare the Brioche Dough:

1. In a small bowl, warm the milk and stir in 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar; then sprinkle the active dry yeast over the milk and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, remaining granulated sugar, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.
3. Pour the activated yeast mixture, pumpkin puree, large eggs, and vanilla extract into the dry ingredients.
4. Attach a dough hook to your stand mixer and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, then gradually add the softened unsalted butter, one tablespoon at a time, ensuring each addition is incorporated.
5. Increase the speed to medium-low and knead for 8-10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
6. Lightly grease a large bowl with oil, transfer the dough, turn it once to coat, cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1.5-2 hours until doubled in size.
7. Gently punch down the risen dough to deflate it, re-cover the bowl, and place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, to make it easier to handle.

Prepare the Apple Filling:

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat, then add the finely diced Granny Smith apples, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and lemon juice, cooking for 8-10 minutes until the apples are tender-crisp.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water until smooth, then stir this slurry into the apple mixture in the saucepan and cook for another minute until the filling has thickened.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat, transfer the apple filling to a separate bowl, and let it cool completely to room temperature before using.

Assemble and Braid Your Brioche:

1. Lightly flour a clean work surface.
2. Remove the chilled brioche dough from the refrigerator and divide it into three equal portions.
3. Take one portion of dough and roll it into a long rectangle, approximately 12x6 inches, repeating with the remaining two portions.
4. Spread one-third of the cooled apple filling evenly over each dough rectangle, leaving a small border of about 1/2 inch around the edges.
5. Starting from one of the long edges, tightly roll each rectangle into a log, then pinch the seam and the ends firmly to seal the filling inside, resulting in three filled dough logs.
6. Place the three logs next to each other on your floured surface, pinch one end of all three logs firmly together to secure them, and begin braiding the logs, keeping the braid tight and even.
7. Once braided to the end, pinch the other end of the logs firmly together to seal.
8. You can leave the braid as a straight loaf or carefully form it into a circle, joining the ends together to create a wreath shape.

Second Rise and Bake:

1. Carefully transfer the braided brioche to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, loosely cover it with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes until visibly puffy.
2. While the brioche is undergoing its second rise, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the large egg and milk or water for the egg wash.
4. Gently brush the risen brioche braid with the egg wash, ensuring an even coating, and optionally sprinkle demerara sugar or pearl sugar over the top.
5. Place the baking sheet with the brioche braid in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and sounds hollow when lightly tapped on the bottom, loosely tenting with aluminum foil if the top browns too quickly.
6. Remove the brioche braid from the oven and immediately transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving, allowing the filling to set properly.

Notes

For best results, make sure the apple filling is completely cool before assembling the brioche to prevent the dough from becoming soggy. The cold dough from refrigeration is much easier to work with when rolling and braiding, so do not skip the chilling step.