Description

This festive filled brioche centrepiece with baked Camembert is an impressive holiday showstopper featuring soft, buttery brioche buns filled with roasted garlic, quince paste, chestnuts, cranberry mix, and mushroom pâté. The brioche encircles a whole baked Camembert studded with thyme, making a warm, melty cheese centre that’s perfect for sharing. The buns are lightly dusted with poppy seeds and finished with fresh herbs and cranberries for a seasonal touch. Ideal for gatherings, this recipe requires an overnight dough rest and a gentle baking method to achieve a golden, aromatic crust and a gooey, flavorful cheese centre.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough

4 large eggs
20ml milk
350g strong white bread flour
7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
30g caster sugar
5g salt
½ tsp mixed spice
200g unsalted butter, cubed and softened
1 egg, beaten with a pinch of salt (for brushing)
Scattering of poppy seed (for topping)

Cheese and Fillings

1 whole 250g Camembert in a wooden, stapled carton
2–3 sprigs thyme
1 garlic bulb (for roasting)
1 tbsp quince paste (membrillo), mashed
5 cooked chestnut halves
½ tbsp dried, chopped cranberry mixed with ½ tbsp cranberry sauce
1 tbsp mushroom pâté
30g fresh cranberries (for decoration)
Rosemary sprigs or bay leaves (for decoration)

Instructions

Prepare the dough: The day before baking, whisk together the eggs and milk in a jug. In the bowl of a kitchen mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the strong white bread flour, fast-action dried yeast, caster sugar, salt, and mixed spice. On medium speed, slowly pour in the egg and milk mixture in a steady stream and mix until incorporated into a very soft, wet dough.
Knead the dough: Add the cubed unsalted butter and increase the mixer speed. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until it clings around the dough hook and has a texture more like thick cake batter than typical bread dough.
Refrigerate the dough: Cover the dough bowl with cling film and refrigerate overnight to allow slow fermentation for enhanced flavor and texture.
Roast the garlic: Also prepare the roasted garlic a day before. Heat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C/gas 6). Line a baking sheet with foil, trim the garlic bulb tops, drizzle with olive oil, and season. Wrap tightly in foil to make a sealed parcel and roast for 35-45 minutes until soft. Let cool, then extract the cloves by squeezing or teasing out. Mash the cloves and keep refrigerated to avoid cross-flavor contamination.
Shape the brioche buns: On the day of baking, line a baking tray with parchment and place the Camembert wood carton in the center. Remove the cheese from the carton and refrigerate it until later. Tip the dough out onto a well-floured surface and divide it into 5 equal large pieces. Each piece is then divided into 5 smaller portions, rolled gently into balls.
Fill the buns: Flour your finger and make a small deep indent in each dough ball. Fill each with about half a teaspoon of roasted garlic, pinch the dough over to seal, and place the sealed side down on the floured surface. Shape evenly by cupping your hand and rolling gently. Repeat this process for the other four large dough pieces, using the other fillings alternately: quince paste, chestnut halves, cranberry mixture, and mushroom pâté.
Assemble the brioche centrepiece: Arrange 10 filled buns in the inner ring around the wooden carton and 15 in an outer ring, leaving about 0.5cm between each bun. Cover with oiled cling film and place in a warm spot for 30-40 minutes or until nearly doubled in size.
Prepare the Camembert: Preheat the oven to 190°C (fan 170°C/gas 5). Remove any plastic or stickers from the cheese. Using a small knife, make an incision around the top rim of the Camembert, peel off the top rind layer, and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Place the cheese cut-side up back into its wooden carton.
Egg wash and toppings: Brush the risen buns with the beaten egg wash and scatter poppy seeds on top to create a golden, glossy finish once baked.
Bake: Place the assembled brioche brioche centrepiece tray in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the buns are golden brown and the cheese is bubbling and warm.
Serve and garnish: Carefully slide the baked brioche and Camembert onto a serving platter. Decorate with fresh rosemary or bay leaves and scatter fresh cranberries around for a festive presentation. Serve extra cheese alongside if desired.

Notes

The dough is very soft and wet; this is normal and results in a tender brioche texture.
Roasting garlic beforehand mellows its sharpness and infuses a rich, sweet flavor into the buns.
Ensure buns have enough space to rise without sticking but close enough to support each other in a ring shape.
If desired, different fillings can be combined or varied to suit personal preference.
Use fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary for aromatic garnish and flavor enhancement.
The recipe requires overnight refrigeration of the dough for optimal rise and flavor development.
Removing the rind from the Camembert top allows the cheese to melt nicely while baking.

Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus overnight refrigeration)
Cook Time: 40 minutes (35-45 minutes garlic roasting plus 15-20 minutes brioche baking)
Category: Bread, Appetizer
Method: Baking
Cuisine: French-inspired, festive holiday

Keywords: festive brioche, filled brioche, baked camembert, holiday centerpiece, garlic brioche, Christmas bread, Camembert recipe, stuffed bread, party bread