Brioche muffins with pate stuffing

Brioche muffins with pate stuffing are great alternative for a sandwich. Very tasty, fluffy brioches with surprising inside. The preparation process is a little bit time consuming but it is worth it. The recipe comes from Carol Pastor '75 best - ever muffins' cookbook.  

Ingredients for 10 muffins:

• 15g fresh yeast
• 10 ml warm water
• 4 eggs
• 350g flour
• 35g sugar
• 10g salt
• 175g unsalted butter
• 150g pate
• 3 tbsp milk
• 1 egg yolk

To prepare those muffins mix the dough day before as it needs the be kept in the fridge at least overnight, or 24 hours.

Crumble the yeast into a food processor bowl, add  warm water and mix with a dough hook until smooth.

Add the eggs, flour, sugar and salt. Beat together 6-7 minutes on low speed. Then gradually add the butter. Continue to knead for about 15 minutes. Place the dough into a plastic bag and leave in the refrigerator for 24 hour, or overnight. My dough was a little bit sticky so I wrapped it into a cling film and left in the fridge overnight.

The next day prepare the pate. Cut it into 10 pieces and with lightly floured hands form each piece into a ball. Set aside. 

Preheat the oven to 220C. Grease slightly the muffin tin holes.

Remove the dough form the fridge. Place it on a floured work surface. Form into a sausage and cut into 10 equal slices.

Place the pate in the centre of each slice of dough. Then press the dough around the pate to form a smooth ball. Put the dough into muffin hole. The author recommends to put it with a seal below, but then there is a risk that pate might stick out of the dough during baking. I would recommend to put it with a seal on top, this will keep the pate in the middle of each muffin. 

Repeat with remaining dough.

When all the muffins are ready, prepare egg wash. Put the egg yolk and milk into a bowl and whisk with fork until smooth. Brush each muffin top with egg wash.

With a sharp knife slash the top of each muffin twice.

Leave in a warm place to prove for 15 minutes.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, until well risen and gold.

Turn out the muffins, place them on plate to cool down. Enjoy !