Jam-filled brioche bread

Starting the day with a delicate and fragrant pastry is an irresistible delight: a soft tart, orange cake or rose-shaped cake… The choices are endless.

But if someone asked you for your favourite morning comfort food, would you know the answer? If you haven’t found that special sweet treat you can’t live without, it’s time to try this jam-filled brioche bread, which will win you over from the first bite with its aromatic fragrance and soft texture.

Let’s find out how to make it together!

Ingredients for brioche bread

  • 7 oz plain flour
  • 5 oz bread flour
  • 17 oz active dry yeast
  • 76 oz sugar
  • 4 oz softened butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 lemon for zest
  • 6 oz milk
  • Jam to taste (your favourite!)

Pan brioche preparazione

How to prepare your jam-filled brioche bread

Making this braided bread is simple and accessible to everyone. You can even involve little helpers as a fun and creative activity to do together.

Follow these steps:

  • Mix both flours with sugar, then add the whole egg and milk in which you’ve dissolved the active dry yeast.
  • Incorporate the ingredients using a whisk or stand mixer, gradually adding salt, grated lemon zest, and softened butter bit by bit until the dough absorbs it completely.
  • Once you have a homogeneous mixture, form a smooth ball, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise until doubled in size (about an hour).
  • When risen, roll out the dough on a work surface with a rolling pin into a rectangular shape about half a centimetre thick.
  • Divide the rectangle in half and cover the centre of each piece with your favourite jam.
  • Roll up each half to form two logs, and braid them together loosely.
  • Place them in a parchment-lined loaf pan and add an extra spoonful of jam where the braids meet.
  • Cover and let rise for at least another hour. After the required time, brush the surface with water and bake at 180 °C for about 35 minutes. Your treat will be ready when it turns a beautiful golden colour.

Choosing the jam

The beauty of this brioche bread lies in the ability to customise it with your favourite flavours: you can opt for classic jams, usually loved by children, such as strawberry, apricot, or cherry jam, or dare to try more unique and citrusy flavours like plum, fig, and orange preserves.

Whatever your choice, the delicate dough will harmoniously complement the more pronounced notes of the jam, creating a balanced flavour profile.

Pan brioche con marmellata

Jam-filled brioche: braided, classic, or rose-shaped?

The braided brioche described above is just one of the versions you can make with this recipe! You can also opt for the more classic loaf version, or for a rose-shaped version.

For the first option, roll out the dough into a rectangle, fill it with jam and roll it up on itself, creating a loaf to bake; for the second, create triangles, which can be rolled up to form small roses to be filled.

Your chosen design is just a matter of style, because the final flavour will be identical and equally delicious!

Storage

Brioche is best enjoyed freshly baked, when it is most soft and fragrant. However, if you have leftovers, you can store it for 2–3 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

To restore its classic softness, simply warm it briefly in the oven or microwave before serving; it will regain that fluffy and delicious texture, just like a freshly baked loaf.