Strawberry Sourdough Panbrioche

This panbrioche tastes like spring, flavoured and light as early May breeze.

I took inspiration for this recipe from an Italian book, Facciamo colazione? by Barbara Toselli. I was curious about the process, there is just a little amount of butter, but the softness is assured by a sort of bechamel made with milk and flour. This is the particularity of the famous Hokkaido Bread, and I can tell you that I never tried a panbrioche so soft and light like this one! Absolutely loved it. I adapted the recipe using the sourdough starter, and adding a strawberries compote not too sweet that matches perfectly with the delicate taste of this panbrioche. I worked the dough by hand and even without mixer machine it raised up wonderfully.

It is really worth a try!

Strawberry Sourdough Panbrioche

For the dough:

    • 390gr strong white flour + 25gr
    • 100gr sourdough starter (doubled, ready to use)
    • 120ml whole milk
    • one egg (room temperature)
    • 125ml cream (room temperature)
    • 65gr agave syrup
    • 30gr unsalted soft butter
    • lemon zest
    • a yolk with a splash of milk for brushing

For the strawberry compote:

    • 200gr fresh strawberries
    • three tbsp caster sugar
    • lemon juice

Cut the strawberries in small pieces, cook for about 30 minutes in a small sauce pan with sugar and lemon, until the compote is glossy and thicker. Set aside until completely cooled.

The evening before: in a small sauce pan prepare a bechamel with the milk and 25gr of flour, should be ready in a couple of minutes. Whisk well so you'll avoid lumps. Set aside to cool down. Prepare the strawberries compote.

Prepare the dough: in a big bowl put the starter and the cream, stir until completely melted. Pour the egg, the bechamel and the agave syrup, stir together. Add the half of the flour and work with a spoon, until the flour is incorporated. Proceed with the rest of the flour and work, in the bowl, the dough with the top of your fingers. When the dough comes together, but it is still rough, put it on the work surface, dust with a bit of flour, and work for five minutes, until it is soft and elastic. Now it is the time to incorporate the soft butter: put again the dough in the bowl and place the half of the butter in the middle of the dough. Fold repetitively until the butter is incorporated, and work again as before on the table for few minutes. When the dough is soft and elastic, repeat the same process with the rest of the butter. Cover the dough with a wet towel and let it rest for five teen minutes. After the rest the dough should be soft, silk and elastic. Fold it again a couple of time, put it back in the mixing bowl, cover and let it proof until the morning after (usually I leave to proof in the oven off).

The morning after the dough should be doubled. Tip into a lightly floured surface and fold it few times to knock out the air. Divide it in five pieces, roll each one in a rectangle, fill with strawberries compote, fold and shape in a ball. Put the balls in a cake tin and leave to proof for two or three hours, until doubled.

Heat the oven to 180°C. Brush the panbrioche with the yolk and bake for about 30 minutes. Serve it nice warm.