I have just finished making the softest brioche buns ever, known as ‘Buchty’. This butterless brioche originates from Germany, and the recipe I followed was published on Lilie Bakery’s website, liliebakery.fr.

Despite my limited experience and initial apprehension about making these brioches, I was pleasantly surprised by how they turned out. I don’t even own a stand mixer, so I repurposed my Andrew James bread maker to knead the dough. It worked perfectly when I selected the leaven-dough setting (number 12).

I diligently followed the original recipe’s steps and instructions, which included preparing the dough the day before and allowing it to rest in the fridge overnight. The only modification I made to Lilie Bakery’s recipe was using honey as a glaze on top of the brioche buns instead of Agave syrup.

Here is the recipe as published by Lilie Baker’s website, using the stand mixer:

Ingredients:

• 100 ml whole milk
• 12g instant dry yeast
• 500g T45 all-purpose flour
• 80g brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 20cl heavy cream with 30% milk fat
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 80g chocolate chips
• 1 egg for egg wash
• Honey for glazing

Method:

1. Begin by preparing the yeast. Add lukewarm milk, ensuring it’s not too hot as it may affect the yeast’s effectiveness.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the ingredients in the following order: the milk-yeast mixture, flour, eggs, brown sugar, cream, and finally, the salt.
3. Mix everything for about 15 to 20 minutes at low speed. The dough should become elastic and start to detach from the sides of the bowl. If it’s too sticky, add a sprinkle of flour, but don’t overdo it to maintain its softness.
4. Towards the end of kneading, add the chocolate chips, reserving some to decorate the buns before baking.
5. Place your dough in a lightly greased, large bowl, cover it with a tea towel or cling film, and refrigerate it overnight. Allow it to rise; the dough will double in volume.
6. The next morning, gently deflate the dough with your hands, form small balls, and place them in a baking dish, close to each other. Don’t worry too much about getting perfectly equal balls; go with how you feel.
7. Cover the baking dish with tea towels and keep it in the oven for about an hour. You can place a bowl with hot water in the oven to create a steamy environment that aids dough rising.
8. Bake for approximately 30 minutes in a preheated oven at 190°C, or until the buns turn golden brown.
9. While the buns are still hot, brush them with honey for a glaze.
10. Serve these soft buns with jam and/or butter or enjoy them plain. Bon appétit!