Welcome: The Brissant

A bun of significance in your midst.

by

Smitten. I am smitten with this bun from Roll'd Up Bakery.

In the world of bakery innovation, first there was the cronut, the croissant/doughnut mashup that took the world by storm in 2013. Then the doughscuit, a marriage of doughnut and biscuit, showed up locally and kicked off your morning at Mucci's. And now behold: The Brissant. Yes, a union of brioche and croissant that has a place in your face. 

And maybe best of all, for those of us who err on the savory side of baked goods, this one wasn't made to hold up for injections of pastry cream and sugary sprinkles, though it will, it was created for a burger.

The bun made its debut at the East Side Burger Battle, a neighborhood burger competition a few weeks ago, and it handily won. "I knew I just needed to knock out a bun for the battle and came up with a concept three days before! I baked basic brioche loafs before but never like the one I came up with," Nikki Podgorski told me. She and husband Brian also make salsa and hot sauces under The Salsa Collaborative name, and it was as this team that they created a double burger: beef patties made with a custom blend of short rib, sirloin, and brisket on an onion jam, topped with white American and Gouda cheeses, plus a habanero boosted burger sauce all on the brissant. It blew the competition away. 

Nikki folds the brioche dough in several layers and then braids it before gathering and tucking it into a bun shape for the mold, "This creates a laminated effect that I did not intend to happen!"

The result is a sturdy, fetching bun that has the structure to support your double burger, but the airy and buttery interior to softly cradle the flavor and play clever tricks with sauces and juicy bits. I know because I ordered a brissant online, picked it up at their booth at the Linden Hills Farmers Market on Sunday, popped over to J. Mortens in Edina for that high-level dry-aged ground beef, grabbed some Pleasant Ridge Reserve cheese from France 44 and made a killer elite burger on my patio. You do have to Scooby it a bit to get a hearty bite in, but it's a giver. Next time I'd cut a little slice out of the center and toast that as cook's snack, not that I'm already thinking about future egg sandwiches and figuring out how I can get molten cheese into it without cutting it at all. 

Nikki sells her brissants wholesale, co-battle-competitor Mik German has ordered some in the past for a special on his burger centric menu at 328 Grill, and you will be able to find them soon at Tim & Tom's Speedy Market in the Como neighborhood. Can Kowalski's be far behind? Right now you have to order by Thursday on her website if you want to pick up on Sunday at the market, so don't dilly dally. Of note: you can usually also order bao from her site.

Nikki and Brian live in Victoria, drive to their commercial kitchen in South St. Paul, and have generally thrown in for a life in food. "I quit my other job not too long ago," Brian told me, "because we were getting so busy and couldn't keep up with orders." The mileage on their car is ridiculous, but speaks to hope and commitment. These two are such nice people and their energy is lifting (Nikki might hug you). 

Here's some more good news, the duo is hosting a Competition Burger Pop-Up on October 2 at Chanhassen Brewing from 4-9pm. First come first serve until they sell out of the only 100 burgers, but it will be that winning burger on the winning brissant that you'll line up for.