For the rehydrated raisins – place the sugar and water into a small pot and dissolve. Add the star anise, cloves and pink peppercorns, then place on a high heat on the stove. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat and leave the spices to infuse for 10 minutes. Place the raisins into a bowl and strain the sugar syrup over them. Set aside to soak.
For the Sauternes custard – place the caster sugar and cream into a medium-sized pot. Stir the sugar through the cream, add the vanilla and place on the stove over a medium heat. Bring the cream up to 80°C, being careful not to boil. Whisk the eggs and egg yolks together in a large bowl. Whisking continuously, add one ladle at a time of the hot cream to the egg mixture. Whisk in the Sauternes, pour back into the pot and place over a low heat. Continuously stir the mixture with a wooden spoon, ensuring the mix does not stay in one spot for too long as the eggs will cook. Thicken the custard for 20 minutes, keeping the temperature below 80°C, or until it coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and cover the surface with baking paper to prevent a skin from forming. Set aside.
To make the French toast – beat the eggs with the milk and soak the brioche slices on all sides. Place some vegetable oil in a large non-stick pan over a medium heat. Fill the pan with the egg-soaked brioche and season lightly with sea salt. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, then add the butter and cook until golden brown. Remove from the pan and repeat until all the brioche is cooked.
To serve – place some Sauternes custard into the bottom of each bowl. Add a few slices of French toast and top with the rehydrated raisins, mandarin pieces and hazelnuts.
1 loaf brioche,
thickly sliced
6 eggs
250ml milk
50g unsalted butter
6 seedless mandarins
100g hazelnuts
sea salt
vegetable oil
Sauternes custard
350ml Sauternes
700ml pure cream
4 whole eggs
9 egg yolks
150g caster sugar
1 vanilla bean, scraped
rehydrated raisins
250g raisins
100g white sugar
400ml water
6 star anise
4 cloves
1 tablespoon pink peppercorns