Maple, Bacon, Pecan and Bourbon Brioche Swirl

For the brioche

• 500g T65 flour
• 6 large eggs
• 50g maple sugar
• 20g fresh yeast or 8g instant dry yeast
• 250g butter
• 10g salt
• 30ml bourbon

For the filling

• 250ml milk
• 15g caster sugar
• 2 egg yolks (small)
• 20g cornflour
• 200ml maple syrup (preferably golden colour for its delicate flavour)
• 50ml bourbon
• 200g pecan nut halves
• 250g smoked streaky bacon

For the maple glaze

• 200ml maple syrup (preferably dark syrup for its robust taste)
• 30ml bourbon

To make the brioche

1. Add all the ingredients apart from the butter to a stand mixer bowl and mix at 1^st speed for 5 minutes.
2. Add the butter then mix on 2^nd speed for 15 minutes.
3. Remove the dough from the bowl, wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge overnight

To make the filling

1. Preheat your oven to 180˚c.
2. Lay the streaky bacon on tray covered with greaseproof paper and brush with a little of the golden maple syrup.
3. Cook for 15-18 minutes or until it is golden brown then set aside to cool.
4. For the roasted pecan nuts mix the nuts with 110ml of the golden maple syrup then roast them in the oven at 150˚c for about 15 minutes.
5. Leave them to cool them roughly chop them.
6. For the crème patissière mix the sugar with the egg yolks well then gently add the cornflour and the rest of the maple syrup.
7. In a small saucepan bring the milk to boil then add the egg mix, stirring well to avoid it sticking.
8. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 3 minutes.
9. Pour the mix into a flat container and cover with cling film. Make sure the cling film is touching the mix to avoid a skin forming.
10. Leave it to cool.

To assemble

1. Roll the brioche dough into a rectangle about 5-7mm thick, it should be a bit bigger than an A4 sheet of paper.
2. Chop the bacon finely, then mix it with the crème patissière and the bourbon.
3. Spread the cream onto the brioche evenly then sprinkle the pecans on top.
4. Roll the pastry tightly lengthways.
5. Cut the roll into slices, about 2cm thick.
6. Lay the swirls on a baking tray, lined with greaseproof paper and cover with cling film.
7. Leave the swirls to prove at room temperature (or if possible, somewhere around 27-30˚c) for about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
8. Meanwhile preheat your oven to 170˚c and make the glaze by mixing together the maple syrup and bourbon.
9. Bake the swirls for 18-20 minutes until golden brown, then brush on the glaze as soon as they come out the oven.