#13 Brunsviger
aka Brioche Danish Cinnamon Spiced Caramel Cake.
Hello and welcome back to The Seasonal Kitchen! This week I am showcasing two of my favourite “breakfast”cake & bakes from Denmark. The incredible Brunsviger and for TSK+ I will be showing you how to create the ultimate breakfast pastry- Blueberry & Marzipan Custard Spandaver.
So what on earth is a Brunsviger I hear you say? It’s like the love child of a focaccia (brioche & yeast based), and a cinnamon roll. Best eaten on the day it’s made.
Brunsviger actually originates from the Danish island of Funen, which is the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen. The cake is often served for Sunday breakfast with a side of coffee. It is also sometimes used for Kagemand or Kagekone, a cake in the shape of a boy or girl eaten for birthdays and anniversaries. (see image below for reference).
It is usually is decorated with the persons favourite sweets/candy and garnished with the Danish flag. Birthday parties traditionally start with the Kagemand actually being decapitated while all the children scream and hide. Now doesn’t that sound like a classic fairy tale.
The traditional Brunsviger is made in a square or rectangular oven plate like I have done. However, it can also be made in a circular springform cake tin or whatever cake tins you have! Either way- it’s going to taste absolutely amazing.
Brunsviger
(for the dough)
60g Strong White Bread Flour + 60ml Water + 1/4 Tsp Dried Yeast (Poolish)
230ml Milk + 35g Bread Flour ( Tangzhong)
275g Plain Flour
250g Strong White Flour
7g Yeast
60g Golden Caster Sugar
1 Large Egg + 1 Egg Yolk
90g Room Temperature Butter
8g/ 1 Tbsp Vanilla Bean Paste
5g Fine Salt
(for the spiced brown sugar topping)
215g Dark Brown Sugar
170g Salted Butter
6g Flaked Salt
1 Tsp Sweet Cinnamon Powder
1/2 Tsp Ginger Powder
1/3 Tsp Nutmeg
1/4 Tsp Ground Cardamom
Method
Start the evening before you make this cake on making the poolish & tangzhong. To make the poolish, add all the ingredients together into a jug, whisk until combined. Cover with cling film and set aside to double in size.
To make the tangzhong, whisk the water and flour together in a small saucepan. Turn the heat to medium until you have achieved a thick paste mix. Add to your stand mixer bowl to cool to room temperature.
The next morning, add the wet ingredients (except the butter) into the bowl. Add the dough attachment. Sieve the dry ingredients in next, and knead on a medium speed for 5-8 minutes until smooth. Next add the butter a small chunk at a time until the dough becomes smooth. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. Add parchment paper to a square or rectangular deep baking dish.
Lightly grease a bowl and add your dough. Cover in cling film and allow to rise for 1 hour. Punch down to deflate the dough, then transfer to the prepared baking dish. Cover in a tea towel and allow to rise again for 2 hours in a warm place.
Preheat your oven to 200C/180 Fan.
Add all the ingredients together for the brown sugar topping into a saucepan and cook on a medium heat until the sugar has just dissolved. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
Once the dough has double in size, make deep fingerprint indentations all over the dough- (as you would a focaccia) then spoon over the spiced brown sugar mixture. Repeat this process again pressing your fingers deep into the dough so some of the sugar can go further into the dough. (see video) below. Bake for 22-25 minutes. Allow to stand on the side to cool slightly for 10-15 minutes.
Eat warm from the oven and with a side of coffee or tea.
