ALLERGIES:

Dairy, eggs, gluten, almonds

FOCUS POINT:

Homemade brioche bun with almond ice cream, rum chocolate, candied orange and roasted almonds

Tangzhong: (milk/flour base)

240g milk

50g flour

Dough:

490g flour

4 large eggs + extra for brushing

vanilla extract

2tbsp olive oil

100g sugar

10g salt

6g yeast(dry)

113g butter(cold)

DIRECTIONS:

-Make the tangzhong: Combine the milk and the 50g flour in a medium saucepan and whisk until smooth.

-Place the sauce pan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly. until the mixture begins to thicken( around 2mins)

-Continue to whisk vigorously, making sure to scrape along the bottom curve of the saucepan, until the mixture is very thick and looks like smooth mashed potatoes(around 20 seconds).

-Leave to cool completely.

-Combine tangzhong with eggs and the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix at low speed until combined.

-Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a bowls scraper or flexible spatula, then mix on medium-low, scraping down the sides once or twice more, until the dough is smooth, firm and very elastic, around 12-15mins. It will have gathered around the hook but still cling to the slices and bottom of the bowl, and have a mostly tacky, not sticky, texture.

-Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add half of the chilled butter pieces and mix on low speed until the butter pieces have incorporated into the dough, about 5mins.

-Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides again, and add the remaining butter. Mix on low until all the butter is completely incorporated, add a splash of egg yolk for elasticity with the butter. The dough should no longer stick to the sides of the bowl and will have a very smooth, supple appearance.

-Increase the speed to medium-low and continue to mix until the dough is extremely elastic for another 10-15mins.

Test the dough: To see if the dough has built sufficient strength and elasticity, which it will need to expand to its maximum volume in the oven.

Windowpane test: Pinch off a golf ball-size piece of dough, and use your thumbs to flatten it and work the dough out ward into a thin layer. Slowly stretch the dough, until it forms a thin membrane through which light can pass. If it tears apart before that point, or as it falls from the hook, continue to mix on medium-low and repeat the test every 5 mins.

Let the dough rise: Scrape the dough onto a work surface( if the dough is a bit sticky, dust it very lightly with flour). Fold it in half several times to create a smooth, taut surface, then place back inside the stand mixer bowl with plastic wrap or an airtight lid and let rise at temperature for 30mins, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2-3h.

When ready to cook, take out pre shaped balls and let rise 1-2h(check the dough if cold on bottom, touch gastro). Brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with almond chunks

-Bake 8 to 15mins until golden brown, 175 Celsius. After 8 min keep a close eye on them.