I found this recipe for Brioche saoudienne or Khaliyat an-Nahl on Soulafa’s blog. She posted a Ramadan version of Khaliyat an-Nahl with a filling of Nutella rather than the usual Kiri cheese – with either filling it makes a lovely breakfast snack. Since the recipe is in French, I will translate here.
Saudi Brioche (Khaliyat un-Nahal)
Ingredients
180ml warm water
3 tablespoons milk powder
2 tablespoons orange flower water
100g melted and cooled butter
3 eggs beaten
3 tablespoons sugar
500g all purpose flour
1 tablespoon instant yeast
Kiri portions or Nutella
1 egg beaten with 3 tablespoons milk for glazing
honey to pour over after baking
Soulafa’s method: Sift the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the centre and add the eggs, yeast, sugar, milk powder and salt, add the water little by little and mix until a ball forms. Knead well for a couple of minutes and then add the butter. Knead until all the oil is absorbed. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to double in volume.
Knock back and then divide into little balls about the size of a walnut. Fill each walnut with a quarter of a portion of Kiri or half a teaspoonful of Nutella then seal the dough around the filling.
Grease a baking dish and place the balls into the dish so they are touching each other. Leave to rise for a few minutes. Heat the oven to gas 4/180 deg C/350deg F. Glaze the brioche with 1 egg yolk beaten with 3 tablespoons milk and then sprinkle with nigella seeds or sesame.
When the brioche comes out of the oven glaze with heated honey.
My bread machine method: I don’t buy milk powder and I don’t want the flavour of orange flower water in this brioche so instead of the first three ingredients (180ml warm water, 3 tablespoons milk powder, 2 tablespoons orange flower water) I just use 190ml slightly warmed semi-skimmed milk.
Place the ingredients into the breadpan in the order listed and set to the pizza or dough cycle. When the cycle is completed remove dough from the pan and proceed to roll into small walnut sized balls; flatten out each ball and place a blob of about 1/3 teaspoon of Nutella into the middle and carefully seal the edges to form a ball. You may find this easier if the Nutella is refrigerated and slightly hardened or you could just as easily use a few chocolate chips.
Place the balls into a greased, round baking dish so they are all touching, glaze with a little of the beaten egg and leave to rise for 20 minutes.
Bake in a pre-heated oven for 20-30mins (180C/350F/Gas4) Drizzle about 3 tablespoons of hot honey over the brioche as soon as it comes out of the oven.
This mixture was enough for me to make one large and one small batch.
NB: Make sure the yeast you are using is INSTANT yeast, it will say so on the box/tub and comes in the form of tiny strands, usually in 11 g sachets. If you are using non-instant yeast (looks ike tiny balls) you will need to follow the box instructions and mix with some warm water/milk and sugar and leave to froth for 10 minutes before using.
