Lemon Curd & Raspberry Brioche – pillowy overnight brioche, cream cheese, tangy lemon curd and juicy berries – no kitchen equipment required! Jump to Recipe
Photographs are powerful things. Those coloured pixels on the screen had us in hysterics last night after stumbling across images from past holidays, captured moments both candid and posed. You don’t notice how much your family changes until you see pictures – I guess because those changes are gradual and subtle. Although now my brother’s haircuts are better and they have all surpassed me in height, some things don’t change – they still automatically contort their faces when a camera comes out, and whether age 5 or age 15, the same cheeky grins remain. Some of those photos definitely warrant saving for 21st birthday parties!
I write this back on another airplane, the end of a spur of the moment trip to a surf town for the long weekend to meet up with the rest of my family. This time I didn’t manage to take many photos, and as hard as I tried, I couldn’t quite capture the power and beauty of the eastern-most point of Australia. The two metre high swells rolling steadily around the headland were diminished by an iPhone screen, and the fury and strength of foaming white water rebounding off rocky outcrops seemed more tame behind a lens. It couldn’t convey the power of the wind gusts and salt spray pushing and pulling at hair and clothes, almost forcing us off the narrow paths, or the deep rumble of huge breakers out at sea.
I’m not sure it is possible to photograph the experience in the water. Cold, but warm enough to get used to with the sun beating down on your shoulders, until an oncoming wave suddenly splashes and chills your midriff. The next forces you to dive underneath, gripping onto handfuls of sand, stomach pressing against the ocean bottom in an attempt not to be swept backwards. The wave curls and crashes over, rolling and churning the water above your head. The water blocking your ears muffles the world, silent and gurgling, until you push off and up, back to the surface to gasp in another breath, moving forward a few strokes until another wave forces you underneath again. Out past the break, out past the surfers, hundreds of them like a black neoprene-suited sea colony waiting for the wave.
Coming back in, the waves are our transport. Kicking hard on its smooth surface, moments before it breaks, and accelerating forward, picked up by the wave itself. Sliding down the wave face, hand-outstretched and skimming the water, getting in a last mouthful of oxygen. BOOM, and the white water engulfs your head as the heavy tons of water crash down in a shifting, boiling mass. But you’re out the front again, breathing and moving forward, streamlined and one with the wave. Fast, until suddenly sand grates your stomach, and it deposits you on the beach. Sometimes it goes wrong, and it churns you up and flips you round, arms and legs in every direction, water stinging up your nose – until choking and flailing you make it back to the surface, the wave carrying on as if you never encountered it.
These brioche were the perfect beach holiday treat. And I know, I know – probably not many people are willing to make brioche while on holiday. These are relatively simple, however – I managed to make and photograph them in a ramshackle bach/apartment with a oven that kept cutting out, no rolling pin (I used a coconut milk can..) and no stand mixer (my brothers pitched in for the arm work).
The brioche dough is mixed up the evening before you plan to make them. A loose, non-fussy dough, it requires 6-8 minutes of firm stirring (waaay to sticky to knead, trust me) before being plonked in the fridge to prove overnight. In the morning, divide it into rounds, roll them out and let rest for 15 minutes. Then go crazy – smear on vanilla cream cheese and tangy lemon curd, sprinkle with raspberries and flaked almonds, and throw them in the oven. 20 minutes later you have puffy, pillowy brioche, creamy and lemony and fragrant. Best holiday brunch ever.
Either use homemade lemon curd (recipe here) or store-bought.
- 125 g unsalted butter
- 250 ml (1 cups) milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons active dried yeast
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 450 g high grade (bread) flour
- 125 g cream cheese (I used Philadelphia lite, and it worked well)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 2 tablespoons icing sugar , sifted
- lemon curd (store-bought, or recipe link above)
- 1 cup frozen raspberries
- 1/3 cup flaked almonds
- icing sugar , to dust
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Melt the butter in a medium pot. Add the milk and heat until warm (but not hot as it will kill the yeast)
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Sprinkle the dried yeast over the milk mixture, cover and set aside in a warm place for a few minutes to allow the yeast to activate.
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Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, sugar and salt in a large bowl until the sugar has dissolved and the eggs are getting frothy.
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Pour the yeast mixture into the eggs and stir to combine.
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Add the flour to this mixture and stir to combine. This step you can either to by hand or with the dough hook attachment of a stand mixer. If by hand, vigorously stir the mixture with a metal spoon for about 10 minutes until it become glossy. If using a stand mixer, mix on a low speed for about 8 minutes until it becomes glossy.
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The dough will be very wet at this stage, but don’t worry - you shouldn’t be able to knead it by hand. You may add a tablespoon or two extra flour near the end of mixing, but resist the urge to add much more flour! By the end of mixing, it should just start to occasionally pull away from the sides of the bowl, but will still be very sticky and will not hold together in a ball.
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Loosely cover the bowl with glad wrap and leave in the fridge overnight to prove and double in size.
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In the morning, preheat the oven to 190°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
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Divide the brioche dough into 8 even pieces. Roll out into circles about 5-7mm thick. Transfer to the baking tray. Brush the outer cm of each circle very lightly with water (you can use a few drops on your fingers), and fold the outer edge in towards the centre, creating a rim (see photos).
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Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for 15 minutes.
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Mix together the cream cheese, vanilla essence and sifted icing sugar. Set aside in the fridge. Prepare the lemon curd, raspberries, and almonds
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Divide the cream cheese evenly between the eight rounds, and spread with a knife over the brioche surface.
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Spread a large tablespoon of lemon curd over the cream cheese. Sprinkle with raspberries and almonds.
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Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are golden-brown.
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Dust with icing sugar and serve.
These are absolutely gorgeous! You’re going to have me dreaming of fruit curds because of all your recipes and pictures.
Thanks Megan! Passionfruit curds and lemon curds are my go to – on scones, cakes, pavlova, – and the leftovers on crusty sourdough toast, of course 🙂 xx
Your writing was captivating, and these brioches are a dream come true. Beautiful colors and shape, delicious flavors, pinned them ’cause now I want them for our breakfast! Another great job, Claudia!
Thanks Nicoletta! I feel like my writing gets a bit waffly and random sometimes, but hopefully its relatable sometimes! x
The ocean is a freaking terrifying and mighty place! I love this piece of writing, it captures the obstinacy of the waves so well. I actually have a fear of going into the ocean and choose to splash around where the waves lap at the shoreline, haha… due to one too many bad encounters!
There really is no excuse for me not to make these, considering you didn’t really have any equipment and they still turned out so beautifully. Lemon curd + raspberry are also so delicious together!
It is terrifying sometimes! We went up to the lighthouse in Byron Bay (the most eastern point of Australia, I didn’t realise!) and the huge swells and sea spray were crazy, so wild. The only reason I’m usually comfortable swimming out is because of swimming everyday competitively and doing surf lifesaving right through high school…otherwise I would definitely be the same! Thanks so much Hannah 🙂
Your post reminds me of bygone days at the beach with my family. I love that you made brioche in the cottage as I know what they tend to look like when vacationing for a week – especially if sharing with several families. Ramshackle come to mind! And don’t have a rolling pin? Who cares, use a coconut milk can. Love it! I enjoyed your post and lovely photos. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much Kim! Family beach holidays are the best, aren’t they? So many good memories! x
Gorgeous and so spring Claudia! I love the flavors and the colors! Brioche is a fave of mine. Can’t wait to try!
Thanks Mary Ann! x
These photos are absolutely beautiful, Claudia, with incredible writing to match! I love looking at old family photos so much. This brioche looks absolutely fantastic – I’m a huge fan of lemon curd. Love it, as always, lady!
Thanks so much Lucia! Lemon curd is my favourite as well – on pavlova, with scones, on cakes…anything! x
It sounds like you had a wonderful holiday topped off with these beautiful lemon curd brioche!
I sure did – have come back down with a crash into chilly Melbourne, but it was such a lovely weekend!
This is so beautiful! I would definitely eat this for breakfast every. single. day. without doubt !!!
Thank Anne, I definitely would too! x
Great dessert! I love lemon curd!
Thanks Sabrina!
These sound amazing, and look beautiful. Your surfing trip sounds fun, I’ve never been surfing I feel like I would be absolutely terrible!
Again, amazing photos and I so want to try this brioche out! <3
Aw you have to go on a surfing/beach holiday sometime Erica! So much fun – and yes , you would probably be terrible the first time…but you would pick it up quickly! Would love to know what you think if you give them a go! x
I’m scared of the ocean, yet totally enamored with it. We have a love-hate relationship. As in, I love to look at it, but hate getting in! 😉 Photographs are powerful, just think of all the moments in time and memories it captures with the click of a button. Anyways, LOVE this bread!! Brioche is a favorite of mine, but you’ve totally taken it over the top here! Lemon curd and raspberries in the brioce looks decadent and perfect! I want to reach through my screen and steal a few. 😉 Cheers, friend!
Thank you Cheyanne! I hate getting in when it’s cold..but its always fun once you’re in properly! x
I always tell myself not to come to your blog when I’m hungry but I can’t help myself. Drooling over the screen at the sight of these gorgeous pastries! You are amazing! I love love love anything with lemon curd.
Thanks so much Jessica! You are way too kind – definitely give them a go, I am a complete sucker for lemon curd too! x
These look delish but something is missing in the 1st step…what are we supposed to sprinkle over the yeast?
is the milk heated? is the butter melted? gotta know…breakfast is tomorrow!
Hey Michelle! Thanks for pulling me up on that, I had no idea the first step was missing! It should read
Melt the butter in a medium pot. Add the milk and heat until warm (but not hot as it will kill the yeast)
Sprinkle the dried yeast over the milk mixture, cover and set aside in a warm place for a few minutes to allow the yeast to activate.
So sorry about that! Hope they turn out well for you xx
Where’s the lemon curd recipe? thanks
Whoops thanks for pointing that out – I’ve linked the recipe here https://www.thebrickkitchen.com/2015/09/lemon-blueberry-scones-with-lemon-curd-buttermilk-whipped-cream/
This looks so good! Do you make other kinds of brioche with this recipe?
Yes! The cinnamon date scrolls are also with this recipe, and I’ve made brioche loaves with it too (see the raspberry brioche bread and butter pudding recipe).
Thanks for sharing! Do they keep long?
They are the best the day the are made but good reheated the second day, and otherwise they freeze well too!