In a bowl, combine the finely grated lemon or orange zest to taste with the liquor to your choice. Cover with cling film and set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes. If you don’t, like lemon zest, skip the passage and use 120g of milk (instead of 100g); start from the next passage;
Carefully dissolve the yeast (either fresh or dry) in lukewarm milk to activate it;
Sift the flour in the bowl of the electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment and add the sugar;
Switch on at low speed;
With the machine running, pour the milk and yeast mixture;
Then add one egg at a time; let the egg be completely incorporated before adding another one; don’t turn off the machine but leave it at low speed;
The mixture is uneven and granular …don’t worry: go on kneading.
When the dough gets smooth and even, add the softened butter or the lard to your choice. You’d better cut the butter into small dices, or add the lard with a spoon, it will combine with the other ingredients better;
Knead on medium-low speed for about 5-6 minutes;
If the dough results too sticky add 2 tbsp of flour, before pouring the mixture with the zest;
Now take the liqueur zest which has sat long enough: sieve it and discard the zest. You don’t want any traces of zest in your brioches. Pour the liqueur into the dough. Knead until well combined;
Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod with a sharp knife and add them to the dough;
Finally, add the salt;
Knead at medium speed for at least 15 minutes;
Knead until a yellow, elastic, bright, smooth, fluffy dough which easily releases from the sides of the bowl. If it sticks to the sides of the bowl, some more flour is needed. If it is too hard, add little more milk. Let the electric mixer run until the right texture;
Now, the time for the slow rising process in the fridge has come; you can leave the dough into the electric mixer bowl. I usually transfer it to a clean and dry one;
Turn the dough onto a working (preferably marble) surface, knead fast and shape it into a ball without adding any flour;
Place the dough into a glass or ceramics bowl; cover it with a tea-towel or cling film. Place the bowl into the middle shelf as farther as possible from the back side which is too cold; let rise overnight (or for about 10 hours);
The following morning, take the dough out of the fridge and set aside at room temperature for about 20 minutes, or until it is still quite cold, soft, greasy and easy to knead-it should not stick to the working surface;
Divide the dough into 10-12 balls; cut a very small ball from each piece and shape the tuppo according to the following weights: the base should be about 70-75g, the tuppo 15-20g;
Smooth the big balls one at a time: they should not be sticky;
Arrange the balls well-spaced apart (about 7-8cm) onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper;
Make a small hole with your fingers in order to create a “deep crater” to host the tuppo. This is not an easy operation because the tuppo may fall down along a side, or sinking into the bigger base;
Make the tuppo like that: take the small ball between the left index finger and the thumb and press it until it “leaks” from your fingers; pull the exceeding edges downward in order to shape two cones; insert the tuppo into the “crater” you will have widen to fit the cone perfectly; so you are sure it won’t move;
Repeat this operation until you have made all the brioches: cover them with cling film and let sit in a dry place protected from air-streams at about 26°-28°C (79°-82°F9; the switched off oven with the light on is the best solution. After two hours they will have doubled their volume;
Preheat the static oven at 180°-200°C (355°-390°F); in the meanwhile, beat an egg yolk with a little sugar and a splash of milk;
Brush the brioches with the egg mixture;
Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until they get golden brown; switch off the oven and allow to sit for a few minutes for a perfect golden color;
Remove from the oven and let them cool down on a cooling rack. Enjoy the wonderful perfume which will spread in your kitchen!