For 8 people
Brioche dough
- 300 g flour
- 20 g malt (available at drugstores)
- 20 g fresh yeast
- 60 g milk
- 2 eggs
- 175 g softened butter
- 5 g salt
- 50 g sugar
- 1 egg yolk
For the pears
- 500 g water
- 300 g sugar
- 50 g lemon juice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 piece star anise
- 3 cardamom pods
- 1 vanilla pod, scraped (split and seeded)
- 4 Williams pears
Frangipane mixture
- 50 g almond paste
- 100 g heavy cream
- 25 g ground almonds
- 1 egg yolk
- 20 g pear brandy
Garnish
- a little heavy cream
- some spices (cinnamon, anise, cardamom, vanilla)
- red fruit juice
- pistachio coulis
- a bunch of mint
Preparation
1. For the dough: Mix the flour with the 2 eggs, malt, sugar, yeast, and salt. Knead with a mixer using a dough hook. Add the butter in three batches. Continue kneading until the dough pulls away from the sides and becomes smooth and elastic while maintaining structure. Finish by incorporating 1 egg yolk. Let rest for 1 hour 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
2. Roll out the dough thinly (2-3 mm) and cut out circles (8-9 cm). Cover with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated.
3. For poaching the pears: Peel them, cut them in half, and core them using a melon baller (or apple corer). Prepare a well-flavored syrup, add the pear halves, and simmer gently for 10 minutes; remove from heat and let the pears cool in the syrup.
4. For the frangipane: Mix all the ingredients and keep refrigerated.
5. Glaze: Reduce 4 dl of syrup to obtain half a dl. Set aside.
Finishing
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Remove the brioche dough circles, spread a little frangipane, and place a sliced Williams pear half on each circle.
3. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let stand for 15 minutes at room temperature; the dough will rise slightly. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. As soon as they come out of the oven, glaze them with a little reduced syrup.
Presentation
Arrange the hot, glossy galettes in the center of each plate, garnish with heavy cream, a little red fruit juice, and drizzles of pistachio. Add some spices and a sprig of mint (as shown in the photo). You may serve vanilla ice cream on the side and a fruit coulis.
Wine suggestion: Grains Nobles
