Treccine Sicilian Sugar Brioches

• 5 minutes to activate the yeast • 3 hours to leaven • 15 minutes to cook • Serves 6

Breakfast cuddle

The Treccine (literally Braids) are a typical sweet brioche from the Western Sicilian area.
They will always remind me of many childhood memories as they were the typical snack for breakfast or for the afternoon, plain or filled with hazelnut cream.

This dessert is especially easy to make, and requires few, very common ingredients. Even the next day they are soft and slightly heated will always be delicious!

Here are ingredients for a 6-serving recipe (12 treccine):

For the yeast:
120 ml warm cow milk
40 g sugar
5 g brewer's yeast
1 teaspoon honey

For the treccine :
125 g flour 00
125 g Manitoba flour
40 g butter
5 g salt

1. The first thing to be done is to activate the yeast. In a bowl, dissolve the brewer yeast in the warm watermilk. Stir in sugar, and honey. Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit for 5 minutes at room temperature
2. Assemble the K-beater on the planetary mixe, pour in the flours and the butter, and stir at low speed for 5 minutes
3. Assemble the hook, add the salt, stir at moderate speed for 10 minutes
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit for 3 hours at room temperature
5. After this time has passed, take the dough. Generously dust the counter with flour and knead the dough again very quickly
6. Then, cut the dough into 12 pieces. Stretch them out with your hands, fold them in half and weave them together. Place in a baking tin with baking paper and leave to rise for an hour
7. Preheat oven to 180°C
8. Brush them with some milk and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 15-20 minutes. Leave them when they are golden brown, always checking the cooking on sight
9. Fill a container with a bit of water, take the treccine one by one, turn it upside down and wet them in the upper part only. Repeat the same procedure on a plate where you have poured caster sugar. Let it dry and serve

Nutrition Facts are detailed in the table below. Data is provided per serving.