Mini Constantinian brioche with orange blossom water
Mini Constantinian brioche with orange blossom water is a medium Algerian recipe that serves 13. 200 calories per serving. Recipe by Love of cooking Soulef on YouTube.
Prep: 45 min | Cook: 25 min | Total: 1 hr 30 min
Cost: $4.31 total, $0.33 per serving
Ingredients
- 500 g All-purpose flour (Sift before use)
- 80 g Granulated sugar (Divided: 30 g for the yeast, 50 g in the dough)
- 30 g Powdered milk (Can be replaced with 150 ml whole milk)
- 10 g Dry baker's yeast (Activate in warm water with 1 tsp sugar)
- 5 g Baking powder (Optional, adds lightness)
- 3 pcs Eggs (Lightly beaten before adding)
- 100 g Unsalted butter (At room temperature, added last)
- 200 ml Warm water (To activate the yeast and moisten the dough)
- 20 ml Orange blossom water (Provides the characteristic fragrance)
- 1 pcs Orange zest (Optional, finely grated)
- 5 g Salt (A pinch)
- 15 g Sesame seeds (For glazing, optional)
- 20 g Thick crème fraîche (For brushing before baking, optional)
Instructions
Yeast activation
Mix 200 ml warm water, 10 g dry baker's yeast and 1 tsp (≈30 g) sugar. Let rest for 5 minutes until the mixture foams.
Time: PT5M
Dough preparation
In the robot's bowl, add the sifted flour, powdered milk, salt, baking powder, the remaining sugar (≈50 g) and the beaten eggs. Pour in the activated yeast mixture, orange blossom water and orange zest. Knead on medium speed for 10 minutes.
Time: PT10M
Incorporating the butter
Add the unsalted butter cut into small cubes. Knead an additional 5 minutes until the butter is fully incorporated and the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Time: PT5M
First rise
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured bowl, cover with a clean cloth and let rest away from drafts for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
Time: PT1H
Shaping the mini brioche
On a lightly floured work surface, deflate the dough then divide into 13 balls of about 70 g each. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them slightly.
Time: PT10M
Second rise
Cover the balls with a cloth and let rise again for 45 minutes until they puff up slightly.
Time: PT45M
Glazing and decoration
Brush each brioche with a mixture of 20 g thick crème fraîche and a drizzle of orange blossom water. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or pearl sugar according to your preference.
Time: PT5M
Baking
Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Bake the brioche for 20 to 25 minutes until they are nicely golden and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Time: PT25M
Temperature: 180°C
Cooling
Remove the brioche from the oven, let cool on a rack for 15 minutes before serving or packaging.
Time: PT15M
Nutrition Facts
- Calories
- 200
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 30 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
Dietary info: Vegetarian, Contains dairy, Contains eggs, low-calorie, low-fat
Allergens: Gluten, Milk, Eggs
Ingredient Substitutions
- Instead of All-purpose flour: Wheat flour T55
- Instead of Granulated sugar: Cane sugar
- Instead of Powdered milk: Liquid milk
- Instead of Dry baker's yeast: Fresh yeast (20 g)
- Instead of Baking powder: Baking soda + vinegar
- Instead of Eggs: Organic chicken eggs
- Instead of Unsalted butter: Vegetable margarine
- Instead of Orange blossom water: Vanilla extract
- Instead of Orange zest: Lemon zest
- Instead of Sesame seeds: Pearl sugar
- Instead of Thick crème fraîche: Sweetened condensed milk
Equipment Needed
- Thermomix or stand mixer
- Stainless steel bowl
- Silicone spatula
- Kitchen brush (optional)
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper (optional)
- Oven
- Kitchen scale
- Fine grater (optional)
Critical Steps — Do Not Skip
- Yeast activation (step 1)
- Incorporating the butter (step 3)
- First rise until double volume (step 4)
- Baking at 180 °C until golden coloration (step 8)
Chef Tips from the Video
- Replace orange blossom water with orange syrup for a sweeter note.
- Add a pinch of ground cardamom to the dough for an extra aromatic touch.
- Use a mini muffin tin for uniform shapes.
Troubleshooting
The dough does not rise
Check that the water was warm (35‑40 °C) and that the yeast is still active. Use fresh yeast or add a little more sugar to feed the yeast.
The brioche are too dense
Do not overwork the dough after adding the butter and respect the rising times. Too much flour makes the dough heavy.
Crust too hard
Brush lightly with a mixture of cream and orange blossom water before baking and reduce the baking time by 2‑3 minutes.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Wrap individually and freeze for up to 1 month.
Room temperature: At room temperature for a maximum of 1 day, away from moisture.
Make-Ahead Tips
- The brioche can be shaped and left to rise the day before, then baked the next day.
- After baking, let cool completely then freeze in freezer bags.
Last updated: August 21, 2026
