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Brioche Dough: In a small saucepan, add the milk and butter and heat on low until the mixture reaches 90°F. Add the milk and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Add the yeast to the bowl and give it a quick stir.
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Add the flour, sugar, salt, then eggs to the bowl. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Continue mixing for about 5 minutes, or until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl and is very smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl a couple of times during the process.
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Form the dough into a ball and place it in a large bowl greased with cooking spray or oil. Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 – 1 ½ hours.
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Almond Cream Filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Add the almond flour, all-purpose flour, eggs, and almond extract and mix until fully combined. Set aside.
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Assembly: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Once the dough is ready, remove it from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Gently press out any air bubbles.
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Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a rectangle measuring approximately 15” x 20”. With the shorter end of the rectangle facing you, spread the almond filling onto the lower two-thirds of the dough, leaving one-third without filling.
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Fold the shorter ends of the dough into thirds like a letter. First, fold the ⅓ clean part of the dough onto the center ⅓ of the dough then fold the remaining ⅓ end over that. Lightly roll out the dough again, until it measures about 8” wide (across the shorter side). If the dough becomes too soft to work with, you can pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes.
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Using a pizza cutter or large knife, trim the 4 sides of the dough as needed to create clean, even edges. Cut the dough in half lengthwise then cut each of those pieces in fourths, to create 8 long strips. Starting at one end, roll up each strip into a tight bun, tucking the end underneath. Transfer the buns to the prepared pans. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush the buns with egg wash and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
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Simple Syrup: Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and lightly brush over the cooled buns.
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Dust with powdered sugar, if desired, and enjoy!
