MAYO's KITCHEN: CRUMBS & NOTES

Sweet, creamy, garlicky, and everything in between. A little messy, a lot delicious.

Recipe by Luvita Ho

 

📝 Kitchen Note ‼️

Luvita doesn’t bloom the instant yeast and uses cold milk in her recipe, since her kitchen is already hot and humid. I followed her steps exactly the first time, but my dough didn’t rise properly and the brioche came out dense instead of soft and fluffy. So here’s what I changed to make it work—especially if you’re baking somewhere cooler.

 

Gather These First

Brioche bread

• 250 g bread flour / all-purpose flour
• 5 g salt
• 120 ml milk
• 37 g white sugar
• 6 g instant yeast
• 1 egg
• 37 g unsalted butter, softened

Garlic Butter

• 150 g unsalted buter, melted
• 1 small egg
• 8 pieces garlic, finely chopped
• 20 ml condensed milk
• 3 g dry parsley
• ¼ tsp salt

Cream Cheese Filling

• 200 g cream cheese, softened and room temperature
• 30 g icing sugar, shifted
• 40 ml whipping cream or 20 ml milk
• Pipping bag

 

Step by Step

🥣 The Brioche Beginning

1. Warm the milk until it’s just cozy — about 32–35°C (think: warm bath, not hot tub).
2. Pour it into a bowl and stir in the sugar and instant yeast. Give it a gentle mix, then cover with cling wrap and let it sit somewhere warm (like the oven with the light on) for 5–10 minutes, until it’s foamy and bubbly.
3. Once bubbly, transfer the mixture to your stand mixer bowl. Add the egg and mix briefly.
4. Gradually add the flour, using a spatula to combine into a rough dough.
5. Attach the dough hook and knead on low speed (KitchenAid speed 2) for about 3 minutes.
6. Add the soft butter and let it mix in fully.
7. Increase to high speed (KitchenAid speed 6) and knead until smooth and elastic — pause every few minutes to scrape down the sides. This can take 8–12 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the dough pulls away cleanly from the bowl.
8. Do a windowpane test: gently stretch a bit of dough — it should stretch thin without tearing.
9. Lightly oil a big bowl, place the dough in, and cover with cling wrap. Let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

🥯 Shaping Up for the Second Rise

1. Turn the dough out onto your surface and divide it into 6 equal pieces (around 70 g each).
2. Gently slap each piece to release air, then shape into balls.
3. Place on a parchment-lined tray, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rest for 25–30 minutes — they should puff slightly, but no need to double.

🔥 First Bake: Nice & Golden

1. Bake at 175–180°C for about 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
2. Right after baking, tap the tray lightly on the counter — it helps keep that soft, briochey texture from collapsing.

🧄 The Garlic Bath

1. Let the melted butter cool to room temperature — make sure it’s no longer warm, or it’ll mess with the mix.
2. Add in the rest of the ingredients (yep, all of them).
3. Whisk it all together until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.

🍦 Creamy Core: The Filling Inside

1. Mix the cream cheese and icing sugar with a spatula until it’s smooth and creamy.
2. Gradually pour in the whipping cream, mixing until everything is fully combined and the texture is soft and spreadable.

 

🛠️ Time to Build the Bun

1. Slice each bun into 6 sections, like a flower — but don’t cut all the way through. Keep the base connected so it holds together.
2. Dip the whole bun into the garlic butter, letting it soak into all the cuts and coat the outside completely. A little mess is a good thing here.
3. Pipe or spoon the cream cheese filling into each slice — make sure every petal gets some love.
4. Sprinkle grated parmesan on top if you’re feeling extra cheesy.
5. Place the buns back on the tray and bake at 165°C for 10–15 minutes, until they’re golden and the filling is warmed through.