Almond Brioche Buns

Just one of the many delicious uses for that gorgeous Brioche dough! I may not have ended up using her recipe for Brioche dough, but I love this recipe from Simply So Good! It's one of my favorite food blogs; Janet has the best step-by-step pictures, and I love her style. It's exactly how I wish my pictures looked... sigh. Go take a look!!

Almond Brioche Buns (adapted slightly from Simply So Good)
Printable Recipe

1 batch Brioche dough
1 cup ground almonds
3/4 cup sugar
6 Tb unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp flour
1 tsp cornstarch
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

An additional egg for brushing tops
slice almonds for garnish
powdered sugar

Remove your Brioche dough from the fridge and let it thaw just enough to be workable. While it's thawing, combine the ground almonds, sugar, butter, flour, cornstarch, egg, and extracts in the bowl of your mixer or food processor (You can use the food processor to grind some blanch almonds too!) Process/beat until combined and creamy. Set aside.  Line two 12-cup muffin tins with baking liners.

Roll your dough out into a large 18 x 10-inch rectangle. Spread the almond cream over the top of the dough. 

Cut dough into 1 to 1 1/2-inch strips. Roll up each strip and place in lined muffin cups. (This method is less messy than rolling up the whole dough and cutting into pieces) Cover and allow to rise for 1-2 hours or until the dough has puffed and feels like a marshmallow while lightly pressed. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately removed from muffin tins to prevent from sticking. Makes 18 - 20 muffin size buns.

 So they're messy as all get out, and that almond cream turns into cement, but holy cow are they delicious!!

All three of my boys loved these buns, and devoured them at every opportunity! Which is highly unusual, because the little boys don't even like almonds all that much. I thought I'd have to give them all away to neighbors! Okay, I did give a few away to neighbors... :)

The bun is buttery and fluffy, and while most of the cream soaks into the dough, you get pockets of creamy, crunchy almond-ness in the top and bottom that are finger-lickingly good!