Banana Cottage Cheese Protein Brioche
A plush, lightly-sweet brioche enriched with bananas, cottage cheese, and whey protein powder. The overnight fermentation develops deep flavor while k...
1 standard 9×5-inch loaf (about 12 slices)
Modern French Cuisine
🟡Intermediate★★★☆☆
Jun 19, 2025
15 views
Ingredients
🥩
4 large
eggs
3 for dough, 1 for egg wash
🥛
115 grams
unsalted butter
softened to cool room temperature, cut into 1-cm cubes
🥛
60 milliliters
whole milk
lukewarm, 38 °C / 100 °F
🌾
420 grams
bread flour
preferably high-protein (about 3 1/3 cups, spooned & leveled)
📦
40 grams
whey protein powder
unflavored or vanilla, fast-digesting works best
🥛
150 grams
cottage cheese
4% milk-fat, drained of excess whey
📦
30 grams
honey
about 1 1/2 Tbsp
🍎
2 large
ripe bananas
240 g peeled, mashed until smooth
🌶️
7 grams
fine sea salt
1 1/4 tsp
📦
15 grams
turbinado sugar
optional, for crunchy topping
📦
7 grams
instant yeast
2 1/4 tsp
📦
5 milliliters
vanilla extract
1 tsp
Categories:🥩protein🥬vegetable🍎fruit🌾grain🥛dairy🌶️spice🫒oil💧liquid📦other
Instructions
Step 1
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, whisk together the bread flour and whey protein powder. This distributes the denser whey particles evenly so the gluten can develop without clumps.
Step 2
In a separate jug, whisk the whole milk, honey, instant yeast, vanilla extract, and 3 of the eggs until homogenous. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients, add the mashed ripe bananas and cottage cheese, and mix on low speed just until a shaggy dough forms, 2–3 minutes. Pause to scrape the bowl; uneven hydration now will translate to streaks later.
Step 3
Increase to medium speed and knead for 6–8 minutes until the dough begins to pull away from the bowl and shows moderate elasticity. Expect stickiness—banana sugars inhibit gluten—but you should see long, translucent strands when you stretch a small piece (early window-pane).
Step 4
With the mixer on medium-low, add the unsalted butter a few cubes at a time, waiting for each addition to disappear before the next. Once all butter is incorporated, sprinkle in the fine sea salt and continue kneading 4–5 minutes more. The dough is ready when it gathers around the hook, feels cool, and passes a full window-pane test; temperature should read 24–26 °C (75–78 °F).
Step 5
Lightly oil a clear container, transfer the dough, and mark its height. Cover and bulk-ferment at 24 °C (75 °F) for 1 hour, performing one strong fold halfway through: lift an edge, stretch, and fold over. This equalizes temperature and builds strength without over-mixing.
Step 6
Re-cover and refrigerate the dough for 12–18 hours. The slow proof lets flavors mature while the fats re-solidify, making shaping far cleaner.
Step 7
The next day, butter a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Turn the chilled dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 equal pieces (about 230 g each). Shape each piece into a tight ball by cupping your hand and rotating; this creates surface tension for an even rise.
Step 8
Arrange the balls in the pan, seam-side down, so they sit snugly. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and proof at 26 °C (79 °F) until doubled, 2–3 hours. Readiness cues: the dough domes 1 cm above the rim and springs back slowly when gently poked.
Step 9
Preheat the oven to 180 °C / 355 °F (conventional) 25 minutes before baking. Whisk the remaining egg with a pinch of salt; brush this wash generously over the risen loaf, then sprinkle with turbinado sugar for caramelized crunch.
Step 10
Bake on the lower-middle rack for 33–36 minutes, rotating halfway. The crust should be deep golden brown; internal temperature must reach 93 °C / 200 °F. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, unmold, and finish cooling on a rack at least 1 hour before slicing so the crumb sets and proteins re-crystallize.
✨Chef's Tips
- ★Drain the cottage cheese through a fine sieve for 5–10 minutes; excess whey would loosen the dough and delay gluten development.
- ★If using vanilla-flavored whey protein powder, reduce the honey by 5 g to balance sweetness and avoid an overly browned crust.
- ★For an ultra-silky crumb, chill the shaped loaf for 15 minutes before proving; starting cold prevents excessive spread and accentuates the classic brioche "top-hat" rise.
- ★Leftover slices toast beautifully—freeze individual pieces in a single layer, then store in a zip bag up to 1 month; reheat straight from frozen at 175 °C / 350 °F for 5 minutes.
- ★Pair with a lightly salted cultured butter or a smear of almond butter; the added salinity heightens the caramel notes produced by the bananas during baking.
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