Carlo Scotto’s Iconic BEAR Laminated Brioche

After a storied journey through the kitchens of chefs like Angela Hartnett and with stints at high-end London restaurants such as Amethyst and Xier, Carlo Scotto has resurfaced with what many are calling his finest, most personal project yet.

BEAR by Carlo Scotto opened in mid-2025 inside the historic Crazy Bear Hotel, offering a sealed-room, 14-seat chef’s table that shows exactly what happens when technical precision meets wild creativity. Each evening unfolds without a printed menu. Instead, diners are taken on an eight-course journey that changes with the season, guided by the availability of foraged British produce and Scotto’s global culinary influences.

But what has lit up the dining world’s radar is a single item that arrives before anything else – a hand-made, laminated brioche, served with a rich, three-layer butter. Simple to look at but deceptively tricky to master, the brioche arrives golden, flaky, buttery, but still tender inside. According to the kitchen, it’s prepared fresh each morning with the same care given to the star courses.

At BEAR, the theatre of an open kitchen and the intimacy of the 14 seats, has Carlo Scotto offering something rare, where even a brioche can feel like the centrepiece of an evening. Luckily for you, we got the insider on how to get this luxury into the comfort of your own home.

Method

1. Mix the dough: Combine ingredients in a stand mixer, first with a paddle attachment until a rough dough forms, then with the dough hook for 8 – 10 minutes. If no dough hook is available, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand. Rest briefly and mix longer if needed until the dough is smoother and less sticky.
2. Add the butter: With the mixer running, or if kneading by hand, add softened butter gradually. Mix for 8 – 10 minutes more until the dough is very smooth, shiny and can stretch thinly. Rest and continue mixing if needed.
3. First proof: Transfer dough to a greased tray, oil the top, cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 1.5 – 2 hours until visibly risen. A warm oven can speed this up (make sure the oven is off).
4. Chill the dough: Press the risen dough into a rectangle and refrigerate overnight – alternatively, freeze briefly, then chill for at least 2 hours if doing it in one day.
5. Make the butter block: Form the cold butter into a 12×15 cm thin block using greaseproof paper. It should be pliable, not cracking or melting.
6. Laminate: Place chilled dough on a floured surface, brush off excess flour, add the butter block to the centre and enclose it. Roll to three times its length and do a single fold. Roll again to three times its length and do a double fold. Chill for 45–60 minutes.
7. Shape: Roll the dough to 35×25 cm and cut into three strips. Place the strips on top of each other almost at the end of each of them and roll the long strip formed into a rose shape, before placing it into a cylinder mould shape (8cm diameter is suggested).
8. Final proof: Proof in a warm, steamy environment for 4 hours until very risen
9. Bake: Place a baking tray on top of the cylinders and bake at 180 °C fan for 35–40 minutes until dark golden.
10. Turn off the oven, open the door and leave the brioches inside 10 minutes before cooling on a rack.

www.crazybear.co.uk
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