Italian Brioche, known as "Brioche col Tuppo" is a classic Italian bread roll recipe. This traditional Sicilian recipe is made with eggs yolks, honey, and orange zest.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the lukewarm water, warm milk, honey, and yeast. Stir together and let sit for five minutes until the mixture starts to bubble and foam slightly.
To the yeast mixture, whisk in the melted and cooled butter, sugar, egg yolks, orange zest, vanilla, and salt. Add in about 3 ½ cups of flour and use a wooden spoon or your hands to mix the dough.
Pour the brioche dough onto a lightly floured surface and add more flour as needed to make a smooth dough. Knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes until it is well combined and smooth.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a clean dish towel or plastic wrap. Move the dough into a warm spot that is free from drafts and let it sit for an hour or until it has doubled in size.
Pour the brioche dough back on a floured surface and use a knife to cut in 8 equal-sized balls (use a kitchen scale if needed). You can keep the dough in balls to bake or make a "tuppo" for the bread. To do so, remove a small amount of dough from each ball and roll into a smaller ball. Then, make an indent in the large dough ball and place the small dough ball on top.
Place all of the dough balls on a lined baking sheet. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise for about 30 minutes.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together one egg and a teaspoon of milk. Brush the tops of the rolls with the mixture.
Bake in a preheated oven on the center rack for about 25 minutes or until the rolls get golden in color. If the "tuppo" starts to brown too quickly, you can cover the bread loosely with foil.
Remove from oven and let the brioche rolls cool on a wire rack before serving.
Notes
You can save energy and make your Italian brioche in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Just mix on low speed until smooth.
The first rise should take about an hour. You want to the dough to be about doubled in size.
Adding the "tuppo" or cap on top of the brioche is optional but is the classic way to serve this Italian treat and is how it's often seen in pastry shops.
Store leftover rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze for up to a month.