Brioche Basket Recipe for Easter

The starter In the bowl of your mixer, crumble the yeast and the warm milk. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar taken from the 45 grams and 100 grams of flour. Mix with a spatula and let it sit for 30 minutes. The dough Add the remaining 200 grams of flour, along with the sugar, soft butter, and the egg. Knead in the mixer for 15 minutes. Cover with a clean cloth and let it rise for 1.5 hours at room temperature. You can continue with the recipe afterwards. I left my dough in the refrigerator overnight to continue the next day.

Wrap a baking dish suitable for the oven in aluminum foil. Take the dough out of the refrigerator. If you chose this option, degas the dough. Roll out the dough into a rectangle. Cut strips 1.5 cm wide.

Arrange the 12 strips overlapping them on the bowl while maintaining an equal gap between each strip. Then, starting from the top, begin weaving by passing one strip over and under each strip, and so on. See the photos; it's simpler that way.

Make a two-strand braid that you will place around the base of the basket once the braiding is complete. For the handle of the basket, braid a three-strand handle with the same strips. Place the handle on a circle covered with parchment paper to achieve the rounded shape. Let it rise for 45 minutes at room temperature.

Preheat the convection oven to 180°C. Mix the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of milk. Brush the brioche and the handle of the basket. Bake for 35 minutes, covering with a sheet of aluminum foil halfway through cooking. Remove the handle after about 30 minutes.

Finally, remove from the oven. Let it rest for 15 minutes before unmolding. Brush the still warm brioche basket with sugar syrup. Secure the handle with wooden picks or royal icing, or melted white chocolate. Then fill your basket according to your taste.