Tipsy Cake
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 70 minutes plus overnight resting time
Cooking time: 2 hours concurrently
Serves: 5-6 individual serves
- 550g/19.4ozs bread flour plus extra for rolling
- 1/2 cup/125ml/4flozs water
- 5 eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon/15g/0.5oz instant dried yeast
- 50g/1.7ozs caster or superfine sugar
- 250g/8.8ozs butter, cubed, softened
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup/125g/4oz butter, melted but not hot
- 3/4 cup/165g/5.8ozs white sugar
For Spiked Cream
- 250ml/8.8flozs cream
- 40g/1.4oz caster or superfine sugar
- 40g/1.4oz brown sugar
- 50ml/1.7flozs. sauternes or brandy (I used ice wine)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
Grilled Pineapple
- 1 whole pineapple
- 120g/4ozs raw or demerara sugar
Step 1 - Take out 25g/1oz out of the total flour weight and whisk with the water in a small saucepan. Place on medium heat and allow to thicken while whisking to form a roux. You want it to reach 65C/140F. Whisk the eggs into the roux to form a smooth mixture.
Step 2 - Place the remaining flour, yeast and sugar in a mixer and mix well. Add the roux and then stir to combine. Affix the dough hook and knead on low speed for 20-22 minutes until it starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Add the salt and butter cubes 2-3 cubes at a time. Knead for 5-7 minutes increasing the speed slightly.
Step 3 - Scoop into a very large oiled bowl and cover and allow to rise for 1 hour. Then oil a large baking tray with high sides and place this dough in the tray. Do not be alarmed it will be very wet and sloppy. Cover and keep in fridge overnight. This can keep for up to 2 days in the fridge.
Step 4 - When you want to bake the brioche, oil five 14cm/5.5inch dishes or cocottes. Have the melted butter and sugar in separate bowls ready and have a bowl of flour ready. Flour a surface generously and grab 175g/6.1ozs of the dough. Knead the dough incorporating the flour, just enough so that it doesn't stick any more. Pinch off five 35g/1.2oz balls of dough and roll each into a ball. You want five balls for each dish. Dip into the butter and then roll in the sugar-make sure to roll it well in the sugar as the more sugar you get on this the better the effect of cracking will be. I even pat on some extra sugar on top. Place 5 balls in each dish and cover with oiled cling film and allow to rise 45 minutes. You want there to be cracks to form on top of the balls.
Step 5 - Preheat oven to 180C/350F and bake for 25 minutes. While it is baking mix up the spiked cream by whisking the cream, two sugars, liqueurs and vanilla together. When the brioche is done remove from oven and make slits in the sides of the balls and spoon cream in these slits and then return to the oven for 5 minutes. When done spoon a little extra cream on the buns and serve with grilled pineapple.
Step 6 - To make the grilled pineapple: Place whole pineapple in a 170C/340F oven for 2 hours and then cool completely. Cut the skin off and cut out the eyes by cutting in a diagonal pattern (this takes time and requires a bit of patience). Cut the pineapple into quarters and remove the core from one end. Sprinkle each wedge with demerara sugar and heat under a grill or blowtorch to caramelise. Slice into pieces so that it is easier to eat with the cake.