Pumpkin-Shaped Nutella Buns

5 from 1 vote

Pumpkin-Shaped Nutella Buns, a fantastic Fall treat that tastes as delicious as it looks. The sweet buns have a light brioche texture and are stuffed with nutella for an indulgent touch, then shaped into pumpkins before being baked to perfection. What a treat!

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Proving Time2

Total Time2 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: International

Servings: buns

Calories: 395kcal

Author: Daniela Apostol

Ingredients

250 g strong white bread flour (2 cups)
125 ml milk (½ cup)
2 teaspoon fast-action dried yeast
20 g butter, soften ( 0.7 oz)
2 eggs
50 g granulated sugar ( ¼ cup)
4 teaspoon nutella
cinnamon sticks to decorate - used as stalks

Instructions

Warm up the milk, then add it to a jug together with the yeast.
Mix well, and set aside for 1 minute.
In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, add the sugar, soften butter and one egg, and pour in the yeast mixture.
Knead it well into a dough that is elastic and does not stick to your hands - add more flour is necessary.
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside to prove in a warm room for 2 hours or until the dough doubles its volume.
Divide the dough into 4.
Roll one ball using a rolling pin, and spread one teaspoon of nutella over.
Shape it back into a ball, making sure the stuffing is sealed well.
Using a string to shape it into a pumpkin.
Repeat with the remaining 3 dough balls.
Beat the remaining egg well, and brush each bun well.
Bake in the preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius (390 Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes or until golden and well risen.
Remove the string and leave the buns to cool down completely.

Video

Notes

Like any product that uses yeast, a warm environment is crucial for the dough to prove and the texture of the nutella-stuffed brioche buns to be light and well risen, otherwise you will end up with a tough dough that is badly underproved.
If the kitchen is not warm enough, I usually set the oven at the lowest temperature possible, and keep it on for 5 minutes. Then I switch the oven off and place the mixing bowl in until the dough is ready.
Once you remove the bowl, you can set it to the right temperature to preheat well until you work the dough into buns - it always works for me.
Make sure the milk is not hot, or the yeast will not be active! The milk has to be warm to touch in order to work.

Nutrition