Almond Poached Pear Brioche Cake with red Wine Caramel

Prep Time30 minutes
Active Time2 hours
Bread Rise2 hours
Course: Dessert
Yield: 10 servings

Materials

For the brioche:

  • 2 ¼ cups bread flour
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 package Yeast 2¼ tsp, ¼ oz, 7g
  • 1 ½ tsp salt
  • 9 tbsp cold unsalted butter cubed
  • 3 eggs
  • ¼ cup milk

For the red wine caramel:

  • 2 cups Somerset Ridge Flyboy Red Wine
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • Dash of cloves
  • For the topping:
  • 3 ripe pears peeled, cored and sliced into 8 slices each
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add dry ingredients and butter to a food processor. Pulse until dough becomes sandy with pea-size pieces of butter. Add eggs, one at a time, pulsing to incorporate after each addition.
  • Add milk with last egg and pulse until dough forms and everything is evenly combined.
  • Prepare a 10-inch spring-form pan by lightly spraying with a baking spray containing flour.
  • Place a parchment circle on the bottom of the prepared pan.
  • Scrape dough into prepared pan. Spray hands with baking spray as dough will be very sticky. Gently press into the bottom.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rise at warm room temperature for 2 hours until puffy but not necessarily doubled in size.
  • While dough rises, whisk together Flyboy Red wine, sugar, cinnamon and cloves in a medium sauce pan. Place pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, whisking until sugar has dissolved. Add pears, reduce to a simmer and cook until pears just until fork tender, 6-8minutes. Remove pears with a slotted spoon. Set aside to cool.
  • Return wine mixture to a low boil and reduce until very thick and syrupy. Remove from heat and set aside for serving.
  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Top risen brioche with cooled poached pears and sprinkle edge with sliced almonds.
  • Bake in preheated oven 45-55 minutes until dark, golden brown.
  • Remove from oven.
  • Remove sides from pan and cool on a wire rack. Slice into wedges and serve drizzled with red wine caramel.