Sourdough Apple Pie Brioche Swirl

5 from 1 vote

Sourdough Apple Pie Brioche Swirl

This stunning Sourdough Apple Pie Brioche Swirl combines buttery sourdough brioche dough with homemade cinnamon apple pie filling, swirled into a gorgeous spiral and finished with caramel vanilla glaze.

Course: Bread, Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple dessert, apple pie brioche, brioche swirl, fall baking, sourdough brioche

Author: Noelle Reed

Equipment

- Stand mixer with dough hook (or mix by hand)
- Large saucepan
Rolling Pin
- 10-inch springform pan
- Bench scraper or knife
- Pastry brush or strip of paper towel
- Microwave-safe bowl

Ingredients

For the Sourdough Buttermilk Brioche:

100 g active sourdough starter fed and bubbly
290 g buttermilk room temperature
2 whole eggs room temperature
60 g granulated sugar
7 g vanilla extract
640 g all-purpose flour
6 g salt
60 g unsalted butter softened

For the Apple Pie Filling:

675 g apples peeled and diced into ¼-inch pieces, about 4-5 medium apples
112 g brown sugar ½ cup packed
15 g cornstarch 2 tablespoons
22 g fresh lemon juice 1½ tablespoons
4 g vanilla extract ¾ teaspoon
7.5 g ground cinnamon 2½ teaspoons
1.5 g ground nutmeg ¾ teaspoon
0.75 g ground ginger scant ¼ teaspoon
2 g salt ⅓ teaspoon
22 g unsalted butter 1½ tablespoons

For the Caramel Vanilla Glaze:

67 g granulated sugar
20 g water
30 g heavy cream warmed
15 g unsalted butter
2.5 g vanilla extract ½ teaspoon
1 g salt pinch
40-60 g powdered sugar

For Assembly:

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash

Instructions

Make the Sourdough Buttermilk Brioche Dough:

Method 1 (Autolyse Method - Recommended):
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine sourdough starter, buttermilk, eggs, sugar, and flour. Mix on low speed until just combined into a shaggy dough.
Cover and let rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
After 30 minutes, sprinkle the salt and vanilla over the dough. Mix on medium speed for 3-4 minutes.
Add the softened butter one chunk at a time, mixing well between each addition. Continue mixing for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise at room temperature (68-72°F) for 8-12 hours, or until doubled in size.
Method 2 (All-at-Once Method):
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Mix on medium speed for 10-12 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise at room temperature for 8-12 hours, or until doubled.

Make the Apple Pie Filling:

In a large saucepan, combine diced apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and butter.
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are softened (about 8-10 minutes).
In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water or apple cider until smooth.
Pour cornstarch slurry into the apple mixture and stir constantly until thickened (1-2 minutes).
Let the filling cool completely before using. (Can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.)

Shape the Brioche Swirl:

Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
Roll the dough into a long rectangle, approximately 28-30 inches long and 4 inches wide (about ¼-inch thick).
Spoon or pipe the cooled apple pie filling down the center of the dough strip lengthwise, leaving about 1 inch of dough on each side.
Fold one long edge of dough up and over the filling, then fold the other side over to create a filled tube with the seam on top. The filling should be visible along the top opening.
Pinch the ends closed to prevent filling from escaping.
Grease a 10-inch springform pan lightly and line with parchment paper.
Starting from one end, gently coil the filled dough rope into a spiral shape in the center of your prepared pan. Continue coiling outward until you’ve used all the dough, with the open seam facing UP.

Final Proof:

Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a clean plastic bag.
Let proof at room temperature until puffy and jiggly (about 4 hours, but watch for visual cues).
The dough should look puffy, slowly spring back when gently pressed, and jiggle slightly when you shake the pan.

Bake:

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Gently brush the top of the proofed brioche with egg wash.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, until deep golden brown on top. If browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil after 25 minutes.
Internal temperature should reach 190-200°F when done.
Let cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then carefully remove the springform ring.

Make the Caramel Vanilla Glaze:

In a microwave-safe bowl, add the water and then slowly pour the sugar into the middle of the bowl. Do not stir.
Microwave for 1 minute, then begin 30 second intervals (watching closely!) until the mixture turns amber colored. Be careful - it's extremely hot!
Carefully whisk in the warmed heavy cream (it will bubble up!), butter, vanilla, and salt.
Let cool for 5-10 minutes until just warm.
Whisk in 40-60g powdered sugar until you reach a pourable glaze consistency. Add more warmed cream if needed to thin.
Glaze and Serve:
While the brioche is still slightly warm, drizzle the caramel vanilla glaze generously over the top.
Let the glaze set for a few minutes, then slice into wedges and serve!

Notes

Proofing Tips

Do not go by time alone for proofing. Watch for visual and tactile cues: the dough should look puffy, jiggle slightly when you shake the pan, and slowly spring back when gently pressed.

Under-proofed dough will be tight and dense and will spring back immediately when poked. Over-proofed dough will be very slack and will not spring back at all.

Make Ahead

The apple filling can be made up to 24 hours ahead and stored in the refrigerator.

After bulk fermentation, the dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before shaping.

Apple Varieties

Best apples for this recipe are Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or a mix of tart and sweet varieties. You want apples that hold their shape when cooked and are not too watery.

Storage

Room temperature: store covered for up to 2 days.

Refrigerator: store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Warm slightly before serving.

Freezer: wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm before serving.

Yeast Version

To make this recipe without a sourdough starter, replace the starter with 7g (2 1/4 tsp or 1 standard packet) active dry yeast and increase the flour to 690g (5 3/4 cups) and the buttermilk to 340g (1 cup + 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp), warmed to 105 to 110F.

Sprinkle the yeast over the warm buttermilk and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy before proceeding with the recipe. First rise will take 1 to 1.5 hours at room temperature until doubled. After shaping, proof for 45 minutes to 1 hour before baking. See the Yeast Version on the Blog post for a more thorough recipe.

Buttermilk alternative: substitute whole milk in the same amount, or add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to your measured milk and let sit for 5 minutes before using.