Caught somewhere between a pastry & a bread, this lovely brioche is intertwined with gooey ribbons of orange butterscotch & crisp walnuts. It’s worthy of beginning a Sunday Brunch Tradition.

makes 2 gorgeous loaves or rings

Brioche dough.

• 2/3 cup whole milk

• 2/3 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup butter

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 1 cup active sourdough starter

• 3 cups bread flour (I use King Arthur, unbleached)

• 1 Tbsp. malt powder

• 1 tsp. orange zest

• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, large at room room temp.

Wendi’s Butterscotch Filling.

• 3/4 cup butter

• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 3/4 tsp. salt

• 2 tsp. Bourbon vanilla (divided)

• 2 Tbsp. Grand Marnier (divided)

• 2 1/2 cups walnuts, toasted & coarsely chopped (or pecans)
  

Chef Notes: It’s imperative that your starter be healthy, alive & hungry for this recipe to succeed as this is the only leaven in the recipe. In other words, it will not rise properly if the starter is not healthy. Alternately you may add 1 1/2 tsp. commercial yeast to the warmed milk & starter for more lift, but this would not be a true sourdough at this point.

1.) In a small saucepan heat milk, sugar, butter & salt to 110f. Pour mixture into Kitchenaid mixing bowl (or a large bowl if mixing by hand) & whisk in sourdough starter. With a wooden spoon, stir in 1 1/2 cups of bread flour to combine along with the malt powder & zest, attach dough hook & mix on low for five minutes. Add 3/4 cup flour & continue to mix until incorporated. Add egg & another 3/4 cups flour, mix for about 10 minutes. On a floured surface knead lightly while shaping into a smooth ball & place in a large buttered bowl, swirl top of ball in butter to coat then place smooth side up. Cover tightly with plastic wrap & place in a warm place until it doubles in size. This will take several hours (mine took 5 hours, however if you opted to use the addition of yeast it will only take 2 hours or so) as the sourdough starter metabolizes the gluten. Alternately, you can leave on the kitchen counter overnight to rise.

2.) Prepare the butterscotch. In a medium saucepan, heat butter over medium heat until it turns a soft amber color, foams up & gives of a nutty aroma (brown butter). Stir in cream, brown sugar & salt. Cook stirring often for five minutes then pour off 1/2 cup of the butterscotch, set aside for drizzling over the finished twists (you want this portion to be of drizzle consistency). Continue to cook remaining butterscotch until mixture begins to thicken, about 5 more minutes; you’re looking for a spreadable consistency here, it will continue to thicken upon cooling. Remove from heat, cool slightly, then add divided vanilla & liqueur to each portion of butterscotch. Cool to room temperature before using. If your caramel thickens up to much upon cooling, simply whisk in a bit more heavy cream or Grand Marnier.

3.) Punch down dough & turn out onto a floured surface. Knead lightly to release air & cover with a towel to rest for 10 minutes. Cut into two pieces, cover one with a towel & roll the other one out to a rectangle 12” x 14.” Brush with half of the cooled butterscotch to within 1/2” of the edges, scatter half of the walnuts. Roll up tightly lengthwise as you would for cinnamon rolls, when you come to the edge, pinch closed & trim ends. Repeat process to make two rolls. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes.

4.) With a sharp knife, cut the roll in half lengthwise, lay two halves side by side, cut side up, pinch one end together. Braid the two pieces by crossing one piece over the other until you you reach the end then pinch that end together as illustrated below. Place in a prepared bread pan (sprayed with non-stick spray & fitted overlapping pieces of parchment Cover tightly with plastic wrap & place in a warm, draft free place to rise, about 2 hours or 30 minutes if you have added commercial yeast. Preheat oven to 350f. You can bake it ) or twist into a wreath shape, pinching ending together. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown & bread is GBD (Golden Brown & Delicious!). Drizzle with reserved butterscotch.