Brie brioche pie

This rich bake is all about the marvellous, melting centre, full of creamy brie inside a buttery brioche pie.

Credit: Paul Hollywood's Pies and Puds

• serves

  8

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 250 g strong bread flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 25 g caster sugar
• 5 g instant yeast
• 70 ml milk
• 3 medium eggs
• 125 g unsalted butter, softened
• 1 egg, beaten with a little water, for glazing
• 2-3 tbsp cranberry sauce, to serve (see Note)

Filling

• 280 g Parma ham or prosciutto
• 1 large brie (approximately 750 g)

Chilling time: Six hours + 30 minutes

Instructions

1. Place the flour into the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the salt and sugar to one side and the yeast to the other. Add the milk and eggs and mix on a slow speed for 2 minutes. Increase the speed and mix for a further 6-8 minutes. The dough should be glossy and elastic. Add the softened butter and continue mixing for 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl periodically to ensure that the butter is thoroughly incorporated. The dough will be very soft at this stage.

2. Place the dough into a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight (or for at least 6 hours) to allow the dough to firm up.

3. Wrap the brie in the ham or prosciutto (or see Note if you would like to include cranberry sauce inside the pie). Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold it in on itself a few times to knock out the air.  Roll the dough into a large circle, about 22 cm across and5 mm thick. Place the wrapped brie in the centre, stretch the dough over to encase the brie and seal the edges.

4. Turn over your brie parcel and place on a baking tray. Brush with egg wash. Using the back of a knife score a criss-cross pattern over the parcel. Chill for 30 minutes.  

5. Meanwhile, heat oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan-forced/gas 6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

Note

For a variation, you can put cranberry sauce in the parcel. Lay half the ham/prosciutto on the middle of the dough base. Spread the cranberry sauce over the ham. Place the brie on top of the cranberry sauce. Use the remaining ham to cover the brie.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.