Kiriya Ubuyashiki
Culinary Explorer
Hey everyone! Today, I'm excited to share a streamlined recipe for Brioche Col Tuppo, the delightful Sicilian brioche that’s named after the elegant hair bun worn by Sicilian women. This buttery and perfectly perky bun is not just a treat for the eyes but also a delicious way to start your day. It's usually enjoyed for breakfast, but you’ll want to savor it any time of the day. Let’s get baking! 
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
- ½ cup warm milk
- ½ cup warm water (105 to 107°F; 40 to 41°C)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 rounded tablespoon orange zest
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ½ cup melted unsalted butter
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 4½ to 5 cups all-purpose flour, as needed
Instructions:
- Combine the warm milk, warm water, and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk in the yeast, and let it sit for 20 minutes.
- Add the orange zest, vanilla, white sugar, beaten eggs, melted butter, salt, and 4½ cups of flour to the bowl. Use the dough hook to knead on low speed until the mixture comes together, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Increase the speed one setting, and continue to knead until a soft, smooth, very elastic dough forms, about 8 to 10 minutes. If the dough seems very wet and won’t pull away from the sides of the bowl after about 5 minutes, add a little more flour as needed. Be careful not to add too much, or the brioche will be dry.
- Transfer the dough to a work surface and shape it into a ball. Place it in a lightly buttered bowl, cover, and let it rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
- Transfer the dough back to the work surface, press out the air, and shape it into a uniform log shape. Cut into 8 equal portions. For best results, use a digital scale to weigh the dough, then divide by 8 to get perfectly sized portions.
- After dividing, take each portion and cut off 15 to 20% of the dough to make the smaller “tuppo” bun on top. For uniform portions, weigh each portion in grams, then multiply by 0.17. My portions came out to 140 grams each, and 17% of that was 24 grams, which is the size I used for the “tuppo.”
- Line a baking sheet with a Silpat sheet. Roll each of the 8 larger portions into a smooth ball and place them seam side down on the prepared baking sheet. Roll the smaller portions into smooth balls and set them on the baking sheet.
- Lightly flour your index fingers, and use them to make a deep well in the center of each larger bun, into which you will place the tuppo. Before placing it, squeeze one end of the tuppo into a pointed shape to make it fit better. For best results, assemble one bun at a time. Lightly press to settle the tuppo into the bottom bun so that it is attached, with half the tuppo above the surface of the bun and half tucked inside.
- Once all buns are formed, place the baking sheet into a turned-off oven to proof until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Brush the buns gently but thoroughly with egg wash.
- Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove to cool for about 5 minutes before transferring the buns to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Enjoy your delicious Brioche Col Tuppo! Buon appetito!
Thanks for sharing this awesome Brioche Col Tuppo recipe! 
I’ve always wanted to try making Brioche Col Tuppo.
I love how you’re bringing a taste of Sicily into the kitchen. Can’t wait to give this a try—thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!
