Perfectly shaped Brioche Easter bunnies – here's how!

Indulge your inner child with these adorable Easter bunnies crafted from delicate brioche dough. In this blog post you’ll find out what makes the different dough variation of this French pastry so special. With step-by-step instructions you can join us in creating these whimsical Easter bunnies that are sure to bring a smile to your face and warm your heart as you celebrate the holiday season.

There is a fair amount of hype around Brioche, and for good reason! I often get asked: “is brioche bread or cake?”. The truth is that brioche is considered a Viennoiserie – part bread and part pastry. This French bread is a sweeter, more indulgent form of bread. The dough is enriched with butter, eggs, milk, and a touch of sugar, and has the most amazing rich flavour and airy texture.

Making classic brioche demands patience

Traditional Brioche is not a 30-minute job you can whip up after work. It is a project, for one of those homebody days. If you, like me, occasionally enjoy spending a couple hours in the kitchen then trying the classic brioche recipe is perfect for you. This Brioche recipe is a 6-hour project, but the result makes it more than worth the time investment. The majority of this time is in fact completely passive, i.e., waiting around – for the dough to mix, proof, chill, rest, bake, cool etc. Brioche truly is the most extraordinary homemade bread I’ve ever made. But make no mistake, it does require commitment!

To the recipe: Classic brioche Easter bunnies with Easter eggs

Easy Brioche-Variation

With that being said, we at BetterFood strive to make recipes more accessible and convenient for home bakers. This is why we developed this Quick Brioche Recipe that can be made in one third of the time, but still maintains the authentic richness and taste of classic brioche dough. The dough takes just minutes to make and only needs to be kneaded for 1 minute. The hardest part is waiting for it rise. It requires a 1.5 hour rise in a warm place. This step is important to allow dough to rise and the gluten to develop.

To the recipe: Easy brioche Easter bunnies with Easter eggs >>

Try vegan brioche or a wholemeal variation

Of course, we have also created a brioche recipe that is vegan without eggs, butter or milk. And if you're looking for a healthier version, I recommend trying the wholemeal brioche with wholemeal flour. With a little more liquid and additional cream, this version is just as fluffy.

Go to the recipe:

Vegan brioche Easter bunnies with raisins >>

Wholemeal brioche Easter bunnies with Easter eggs >>

Perfectly shaped Easter bunnies – here's how!

These homemade Easter bunnies will be loved by kids and adults alike! They are perfect for Easter brunch or as a hostess gift, and they’ll complete every Easter basket. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll show you how to shape the two different types of bunnies.

Shape 1: Brioche bunny with Easter egg

1. Divide the finished dough into eight equal parts. These are then simply rolled into strands with your hands. Taper both ends of the roll slightly, as these will become the bunny ears.
   
2. Place the other end of the strand crosswise on one end to form a loop, creating a bunny shape. The lower oval is now the body, and the upper ends are the ears.
   
3. Place the egg in the middle of the lower oval. Then place all eight bunnies in the oven on the baking tray lined with baking paper, leaving enough space between them.
   

Shape 2: Brioche bunny-rabbits

1. Divide the finished dough into eight equal parts and roll them into strands with your hands.
   
2. Separate another two small pieces from the end of each strand and shape them into small balls. The larger one for the bunny head with ears, the smaller one for the fluffy tail.
   
3. The remaining main strand is rolled up into a spiral on the baking tray lined with baking paper from the inside out, like a cinnamon bun.
   
4. Attach the small ball of dough to the body of the snail as a tail. Shape the head ball into a cone shape with your hands.
   
5. Cut dough with scissors to create the ears. Place a raisin as an eye on the head.
   

You may be wondering what you can serve with brioche. The great thing is that brioche is incredibly versatile. It can be served sweet or savory at any time of day and on any occasion– that’s the beauty of it. Whether breakfast, lunch, brunch, dinner, as a snack or dessert. In France, brioche is typically served for breakfast and afternoon tea. A warm slice of brioche with butter and a good smear of homemade jam tastes heavenly.

The best way to store brioche

Brioche will keep for about two days at room temperature. As it dries out easily, you should keep them in an airtight container. You can keep it in the fridge for up to two weeks and in the freezer for up to two months. All you need to know: Brioche that has already been baked can be wrapped airtight or packed in a container and frozen.

Defrosting brioche made easy

If the brioche is fully baked, simply leave it at room temperature for about one hour, until it has thawed. If it’s not baked from the first rise, thaw the dough in the fridge overnight, then bake it fresh. This makes planning and preparing Easter brunch stress-free and the heavenly aroma of oven-warm brioches welcomes all guests.

Images: © Robert Bosch Hausgeräte GmbH