Chocolate, dulce de leche and almond brioche
Makes 6
250g strong flour
25g sugar
8g dried yeast
5g salt
3 eggs
30g cold water
100g soft butter
1 cup dark chocolate buttons
1⁄2 can condensed milk caramel ‘‘dulce de leche’’
1⁄2 cup roast natural almonds, roughly chopped
Stock syrup 1⁄2 cup caster sugar 1⁄2 cup water
Frangipane
60g butter
60g ground almonds 60g caster sugar
15g flour
1 egg
1⁄2 tsp vanilla essence
Method
Place the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, eggs and water into a mixing bowl and mix together with a dough hook attachment for 15 minutes before slowly adding the butter and mix for a further 15 minutes. Remove the bowl from the machine, cover with plastic cling wrap and allow to double in size before knocking back and placing in the refrigerator overnight. The following morning turn out the dough on to a lightly floured bench. Dust with a little more flour and roll out to a 1cmthick large rectangle. Spread or spoon the frangipane over two thirds of the dough. Scatter chocolate and almonds on top of the frangipane. Spoon the dulce de leche in teaspoonsized blobs on top and roll up the dough to form a log. Use a bread knife to cut through the dough and place the brioche pieces on to a baking paper lined oven tray to prove for 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 220degC and bake the brioche for 1518 minutes or until dark golden brown before removing from the oven and brushing with the stock syrup. Allow to cool and serve.
Place all ingredients into mixing machine bowl and combine with a paddle attachment. If not using straight away, frangipane store in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
Condensed milk caramel dulce de leche
Place a can of condensed milk into a small pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for three hours, topping up with additional water as needed to keep the can covered. Remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool in the pot. Caramel will keep in the can for several months in the fridge. Use within 2 weeks after opening. (Warning. You must keep the can covered in water. If the pot boils dry the can of caramel can explode. Believe me, I know first hand)
Stock syrup
Place sugar and water into a small pot and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before using. Keeps indefinitely in an airtight container in the refrigerator.