Baked Custard Brioche Pizza (Printer-friendly)

Pillowy brioche with silky vanilla custard and golden caramelized topping for sweet brunch.

# What You Need:

→ Brioche Dough

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
05 - 1/3 cup warm whole milk
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

→ Vanilla Custard

08 - 2 cups whole milk
09 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
11 - 4 large egg yolks
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt

→ Toppings

14 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for sprinkling
15 - Fresh berries or sliced stone fruit (optional)
16 - Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine warm milk, instant yeast, and a small spoonful of sugar in a bowl. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes until it becomes foamy and active.
02 - In a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, remaining sugar, salt, eggs, and proofed yeast mixture. Knead on medium speed for 5 minutes. Gradually incorporate the softened butter, one piece at a time, and continue kneading until the dough is smooth, shiny, and elastic, about 10 minutes.
03 - Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.
04 - Heat the milk in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until the mixture turns pale and smooth. Slowly stream in the hot milk while whisking constantly to temper the yolks.
05 - Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until it thickens considerably, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla extract, then press plastic wrap directly against the surface and let cool completely.
06 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Punch down the risen dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch round. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet or pizza pan. Use your fingers to press a slight raised rim around the edge.
07 - Spread the cooled custard evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the rim. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar to promote caramelization. Arrange fresh fruit on top if desired.
08 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden and the custard is lightly set. Allow to cool slightly before slicing into 8 wedges. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The buttery brioche base elevates this far beyond any sweet pizza you have tried before.
  • That vanilla custard layer is silky enough to make you close your eyes on the first bite.
  • It looks wildly impressive but the steps are surprisingly manageable when you break them down.
02 -
  • Temper the egg yolks slowly when making custard because rushing hot milk into the bowl will give you scrambled eggs instead of silk.
  • The brioche dough will seem impossibly sticky before the butter fully incorporates, and trusting the process is the hardest part.
03 -
  • Slivered almonds scattered over the custard before baking add a nutty crunch that transforms the whole experience into something truly special.
  • A single scoop of vanilla bean ice cream melting over a warm slice will make people think you trained in a French pastry kitchen.

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