Earl Grey, White Chocolate and Mandarin Brioche Knots
Soft, aromatic bakery-style buns made with an enriched brioche dough scented with Earl Grey tea, filled with white chocolate and mandarin zest, and finished with a light citrus glaze. An original recipe with elegant flavor and tender texture.
Ingredients
- 500 g bread flour (for the dough)
- 70 g sugar (for the dough)
- 8 g salt
- 7 g instant dry yeast
- 8 g Earl Grey tea (or té suelto equivalente)
- 180 ml whole milk (for infusionar the té)
- 2 unit eggs (at room temperature)
- 80 g unsalted butter (suave, for the dough)
- 8 g mandarin zest (divided)
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 140 g white chocolate (chopped finely for the relleno)
- 30 g unsalted butter (derretida, for the relleno)
- 35 g light brown sugar (for the relleno)
- 10 g all-purpose flour (for espolvorear the mesa)
- 1 unit beaten egg (for brush)
- 90 g powdered sugar (for the glaseado)
- 20 ml mandarin juice (for the glaseado)
- 10 ml whole milk (for ajustar the glaseado)
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
1. Warm the 180 ml whole milk in a small saucepan until hot but not boiling, about 176°F/80°C. Remove from the heat, add the Earl Grey tea, and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain and let cool until the milk is lukewarm, between 95°F and 104°F / 35°C and 40°C.
- 2
2. In a large bowl, mix the bread flour, sugar, salt, and instant dry yeast. Add the lukewarm infused milk, the 2 eggs, 80 g softened butter, half of the mandarin zest, and the vanilla extract. Knead for 10 to 12 minutes until you have a smooth, elastic, slightly glossy dough.
- 3
3. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size, 75 to 90 minutes, ideally around 75°F to 80°F / 24°C to 27°C.
- 4
4. While the dough rises, make the filling by mixing the chopped white chocolate, melted butter, light brown sugar, and the remaining mandarin zest. Set aside so it becomes spreadable.
- 5
5. Gently deflate the dough and transfer it to a work surface dusted with the all-purpose flour. Roll it into a rectangle about 16 x 12 inches / 40 x 30 cm. Spread the white chocolate filling evenly, leaving a clean 1 cm border.
- 6
6. Fold the dough into thirds like a letter. Press lightly and roll a little to form a rectangle about 12 x 8 inches / 30 x 20 cm. Cut into 10 long strips of equal size.
- 7
7. Twist each strip several times and shape it into a knot, tucking the ends underneath. Place the knots on a lined baking tray, leaving space between them. Cover and let rise again for 30 to 40 minutes, until puffy.
- 8
8. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Brush the knots with the beaten egg and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through, until deeply golden.
- 9
9. Transfer the knots to a rack and cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the powdered sugar with the mandarin juice and the 10 ml whole milk until you get a thick but pourable glaze.
- 10
10. Drizzle the glaze over the still-warm knots and let stand for 10 minutes before serving so the finish can set.
Chef tips
If your kitchen is cool, let the dough rise inside the turned-off oven with a cup of hot water beside it. Finely chopping the white chocolate helps it distribute more evenly and prevents large pockets of melted filling.
Substitutions
You can use clementine or orange instead of mandarin. Lady Grey tea works well as an alternative to Earl Grey. For a less sweet finish, skip the glaze and dust lightly with powdered sugar instead.
What I used to make it
Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.
Illustrative imageNinja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
Illustrative imageCosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
Illustrative imageT-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
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