wheat brioche danish with honey-glazed apricots
Mayhaps you don’t know this about me, but I’m a big music nerd. As in, I love music. Going to shows and getting all up in people’s personal space and then getting really tired at 10 p.m. and wanting to go home before the encore thereby annoying my husband is one of my favorite things to do. True story.
But in all seriousness, music is something that gives me the get-up-and-go every day. It helps me focus. It helps me stay awake on long road trip drives. It helps me think things through. Sometimes it just helps me bust a move in the kitchen, I don’t know.
I was listening to this playlist whilst making these danishes. I was also listening to it when I came up with the idea for said danishes, and when I was editing the photos and writing the post for said danishes. So, yeah, whenever I hear Fleet Foxes, Purity Ring or Reptar, I will be thinking of danishes. Which will be a lot (and also a very good thing).
So let’s talk a little bit more about this brioche danish recipe situation, shall we? We’ve got a wheat brioche base, which is basically a brioche roll that I’ve smashed down, filled with a sweet cream cheese filling and topped with honeyed apricots and icing, what what. It’s nothing like those danishes you find in the grocery store or the gas station, the ones that are made with flaky puff pastry dough that tastes like it’s been frozen, then unfrozen, then baked and left to loaf around in a glass case until either a) someone buys it in a moment of weakness, or b) it goes stale. And even then, sometimes it sticks around. Ish.
Anyway, what I mean is, these are a lot more appetizing. They’re worth every moment it takes to make them (which is admittedly a while, but the amount of effort required is totally on the low side. WIN). They’re also a little less sugary and puff pastry-ish, which might not be your bag. But for me, it’s just perfect, especially first thing in the morning with a cup of coffee. And my playlist on repeat.
I keep dancin’ on my oooowwwwwwwwwwwnnnn… Oh, sorry. Didn’t realize you were still there.
Wheat Brioche Danish with Honey-Glazed Apricots
Brioche recipe adapted from Sprouted Kitchen; Danish filling and glaze adapted from Bread in Five
Yields: 8 danishes
Ingredients:
For the brioche —
1 cup water
3 tablespoons milk
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 cups unbleached bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup wheat bran
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
2 1/2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter
2 eggs
For the filling —
8 ounces (1 package) Neufchatel cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of sea salt
24 dried apricot halves
1 tablespoon honey
For the icing —
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk
Directions:
Combine water and milk in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave 30 seconds to warm. Pour into a small bowl; whisk in yeast and sugar until yeast dissolves. Let stand 5 minutes until foamy.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, combine flours, wheat bran and salt. Cut in butter with fingers or a pastry blender until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add yeast mixture and 1 egg; stir to combine. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth, elastic and only slightly sticky, about 8-10 minutes — OR, knead dough in stand mixer on medium speed with dough hook until smooth, elastic and only slightly sticky, about 5 minutes. The dough might be a little tackier than you’re used to with normal dough — this is OK.
Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a tea towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Punch down risen dough and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place 2 to 3 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Cover with tea towel and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla in a bowl until well combined. Use the bottom of a glass or small measuring cup to make indents in the center of each piece of dough. Spoon filling evenly into each indent, smoothing the tops.
Beat remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water; brush egg wash over the brioche dough, avoiding the filling. Bake until light golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine apricots with honey until apricots are well coated. Remove danishes from oven and place on a cooling rack. Top each danish with a few glazed apricots.
Make the icing: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla and just enough milk to make a glaze. Drizzle over slightly cooled danishes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
These. Look. Incredible. I haven’t made brioche in ages, but these … they might just force me to. First, I have to locate the wheat bran though. Or maybe you could just mail me one already made ๐
Sarah — I’ll send you one ASAP. ๐
They are so cute! Could the honey apricots be replaced with out dried fruit like mangoes?
Belinda — Yes, ma’am! You could glaze pretty much any dried fruit with honey and put it on top of these danishes (though some fruits are so sweet on their own, the honey is unnecessary). Mangoes would be perfect.
These are beautiful! Way better than the danishes that I see sitting in the bakery cases! Wish I were eating one with my mid-morning cup of coffee!
I need one (or four) of these in my life, like, yesterday.
GORGEOUS Stephanie!!
Totally stealing that playlist ๐ I love listening to music when I bake too. Dancing around the kitchen and looking like an all around dag haha.
yessy yes yessss!! (that was me when I saw that your playlist includes Fleet Foxes, Purity Ring and the Vaccines). I totally get that thing where if I’m listening to music on repeat whilst doing something, if I listen to it again, the memories come flooding back! – fleet foxes + Danishes is definitely a major combo! They look awesome – I’m totally digging those honey glazed apricots!
Jessica — Thank you so much, that’s so kind! ๐
Maggie — Uh, I hear you. I don’t know where these have been all my life. ๐ Thanks for the comment!
Claire — Thanks, dear!
Nic — Do it! And dancing in the kitchen is totally the coolest. ๐
Izy — Thanks, glad you like the playlist! My goal, really, is to get everyone who loves Fleet Foxes to eat danishes. It just would make the world a better place. ๐
One of these days really, really soon I’m going to stop being scared to make bread, bc I’m totally missing out on awesome bites likes this!