Gusto’s Housemade Brioche with Caramelized Apples & Apple Sorbet

By Pastry Chef Patrick Coston
(Serves eight)

Ingredients for the Brioche:
1 lb 12 oz all purpose flour
3.75 oz sugar
½ oz salt
1 vanilla bean-split and scraped
8 eggs
2 oz water
1.75 oz fresh yeast
8 oz unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch cubes

Preparation:
1.    Place flour, sugar, salt and vanilla seeds in a mixing bowl with the dough hook attached.
2.    In a separate bowl, add eggs, water, and fresh yeast. Mix with handheld blender until smooth.
3.    Mix the dry ingredients on speed one; add the liquid in three parts – allow to mix for 2-3 minutes between additions.
4.
Continue mixing on speed 1, add the butter in 2 parts and continue to
mix until all the butter is dissolved and incorporated.
5.    Place
the dough in a large container that has been sprayed with a nonstick
spray, wrap the container in plastic and place in the refrigerator
overnight.
6.    Knead the brioche and divide it into 1 lb 12 oz
pieces,  (the recipe will yield approximately twice as much dough as
necessary). Place in a 10-inch loaf pan and allow to rise at room
temperature until doubled in volume (about 90 minutes).
7.    Once
doubled, bake in a 375-degree oven until well browned on top.  Tap the
bottom to ensure the brioche is cooked all the way through – it should
sound hollow.
8.    Once cooked, unmold and place on a rack until cool, then wrap in plastic  and place in the refrigerator overnight.

For the Caramel Apples…

8 granny smith apples, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
1 ½ lbs sugar
1 pint water

1.    Place the sugar and water in a large pot and place over high heat.
2.    Allow the sugar to caramelize and once well caramelized, add the apples and stir well.
3.    Cook the apples, stirring frequently until the apples are
floating on top of the caramel, about 4 to 6 min. (the apples are
cooked when they float and you should have no resistance when
stirring).
4.    Strain the apples and reserve the liquid for later use.

For the Soaking Liquid:
1 liter heavy cream
12 egg yolks
125 g sugar

Mix all ingredients well and place in a container, refrigerate until ready to use.

To Serve:
1.    Cut the brioche into 1 inch thick slices and reserve the rest for another use.
2.    Place the brioche and the soaking liquid in a large, flat pan.
Soak the brioche for 30 minutes or until the brioche has soaked up the
liquid.
3.    In a large sauté pan or griddle on medium high heat, brown both sides of the brioche and place on a flat sheet pan.
4.    Preheat the oven to 325 and bake brioche for 5-7 minutes.
5.    Remove from the oven and keep warm on top of the oven.
6.    Warm the apples up with some of the liquid. Place the brioche in
the middle of the plate, position 6 to 8 apples on top of the brioche
and liberally spoon the warmed sauce on top and around the brioche.
Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.

Phone: (212)924-8000
Address: 60 Greenwich Ave., nr. Seventh Ave.