Sicilian brioche with tuppo, the original recipe (of the real ones) for ice cream and granita

If you have been to Sicily at least once, you have tasted them: the brioche col tuppo are a recipe of the typical Sicilian pastry. They are homemade super soft and fragrant brioche that can be enjoyed for breakfast or as a snack. But, if we want to be honest, on the island they are the absolute stars of the beautiful season: they are part of the typical Sicilian breakfast along with another highlight of Sicilian pastry. Before you ask, let us anticipate: why are they called that? Their name comes from the fact that their appearance resembles the chignon that Sicilian women used - and still use - to keep their hair tidy. In Sicilian dialect, this is called "tuppo."

Brioche with tuppo and granita: the typical Sicilian breakfast

In the morning, in practically all Sicilian ice cream shops, you will hear orders for a granita with brioscia: nothing strange, it is the name used to refer to those with the tuft, without the risk of misunderstanding. Yes, because the latter is the first to go straight into the glass to meet the granita with which we will finally satisfy our taste buds. Besides this, the brioche with the tuft is typically filled with gelato.

Sicilian brioche with tuft original recipe

The original recipe of our heroines requires a long rising time, which allows us to bake them soft and fragrant. The ingredients are quite common, but what makes the difference, besides the quality of the raw materials, will be the aromas. Don't forget the grated citrus zest. Here’s what you need to bake the Messina-style brioche col tuppo.

Ingredients for very soft Sicilian brioche

• 450 g of flour 0
• 150 g of Manitoba flour
• 1 egg
• 60 g of butter
• 75 g of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of honey
• 300 ml of warm milk
• 6 g of dry brewer's yeast
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• grated lemon zest
• grated orange peel

To brush

• 1 tablespoon of milk
• 1 egg yolk

Preparation of brioche with a tuft

1. Pour the two types of flour into a bowl. Mix the honey with the grated zest of the citrus fruits and the vanilla extract.
2. Combine all the flours, the yeast, the lightly beaten egg, the sugar, a pinch of salt, and a glass of milk.
3. Turn on the planetary mixer and let it work until the dough has come together.
4. Combine the remaining milk with the mixture of honey and citrus zest. Finally, add the soft butter in pieces. Knead again.
5. Create a dough ball, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise for about two hours.
6. After this, take portions of about 70 grams from the dough and the same amount of 10.
7. Create balls with the larger ones and place them on a tray lined with parchment paper.
8. Create the balls with the smaller ones and place them on top of the larger ones (in which you will have created a hollow). Let them rise again for 3-4 hours.
9. Mix the yolk with the milk and use the resulting mixture to gently brush the surface of the brioche.
10. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 20 minutes.

Sicilian brioche with tuft, online sale

If you love cooking, all the preparation won't weigh you down. But, if you would rather give it up just to avoid turning on the oven in summer (who can blame you), you can buy the Sicilian brioche col tuppo (the real ones, no imitations), directly from Sicilyaddict. Here you will find not only the packaged long-lasting brioche col tuppo, but also complete Sicilybox Kits with Sicilian Granita, Brioche col Tuppo, and Cream. Yes, you read that right. And, as if that weren't enough, the Sicily box "La bomba col tuppo". If you want to know what it's about, we give you a sneak peek. Imagine the meeting of a soft brioche, a luscious pistachio cream, and a fresh sheep ricotta…

Sicilian brioche original recipe with lard

Nothing could be simpler: the recipe for Sicilian brioche with lard calls for replacing butter with the same amount of this. The flavor will be a bit more intense, but just as delicious. This is the original version, the one that grandmothers used to make, which guaranteed, just like now, super soft brioche with a tuft.

Sicilian brioche with tuppo, the Bimby recipe

'The procedure with the Bimby concerns only the initial part.'

1. Pour the room temperature milk, butter, sugar, and yeast into the jug and mix for 2 minutes at 37° speed 2.
2. Combine the honey and grated zest, the flours, the egg, the vanilla, the salt and knead for 3 minutes at Speed Dough.
3. Take the dough, transfer it to rise, and continue as above.

Rollopack, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons