Croûte au Madère

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •2½-inch (6 cm) round cutter
• •10-inch (25 cm) heavy skillet
• •2-quart (2-liter) saucepan
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Rimmed baking sheet and wire rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Swell the fruit

   Combine the Malaga raisins, currants, and sultanas in a medium bowl and cover them with the tepid water. Leave them for 20 to 25 minutes, turning them once, until plump but still distinct. Tepid means barely warmer than your hand, never hot: excessive heat splits the skins and washes flavor into the water. If the water was too hot and the fruit begins to split, drain it immediately, rinse it briefly with cool water, and blot it dry. The texture will be softer, but the dessert is still yours. Drain the fruit for 5 minutes, then spread it on a clean towel and blot away surface water.

2. 2

   Fry the croûtes

   Cut eight rounds, about 2½ inches (6 cm) across, from the brioche. Melt the butter gently, skim away the white foam, and pour the clear butterfat into a wide skillet, leaving the milky sediment behind. Fry the croûtes over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side, working in batches, until evenly golden and crisp at the edges. If the butter darkens before the bread gilds, take the pan off the heat for a moment and lower the flame. Transfer the croûtes to a rack.

3. 3

   Glaze under heat

   Heat the broiler with a rack about 6 inches (15 cm) below it. Set the croûtes on a baking sheet and dust their upper faces evenly with the superfine sugar. Broil for 30 to 90 seconds, watching without interruption, until the sugar melts into a clear amber glaze. This upper heat is the home equivalent of the brigade's salamander. If a small patch blackens, shave away the bitter spot, add a pinch of fresh sugar, and glaze that patch again. Let the croûtes stand on the rack while you finish the fruit.

4. 4

   Build the syrup

   Combine the apricot preserves and syrup water in a small saucepan. Bring them to a gentle simmer, whisk until smooth, and cook for 3 minutes. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve, pressing only enough to extract the liquid, then return it to the clean pan and reduce until nappant, meaning it lightly coats the back of a spoon. If it tightens like jam, loosen it with a teaspoon of water at a time; if it runs like juice, reduce it further before adding the wine. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Madeira.

5. 5

   Moisten the fruit

   Return the syrup to low heat and fold in the drained fruit. Warm it gently for 2 to 3 minutes, turning with a spoon so every piece gleams, but never letting the syrup boil hard. The three fruits should remain themselves, not collapse into a compote. If residual soaking water thins the syrup, don't keep cooking the fruit. Lift it out, reduce the syrup alone until it is nappant again, then return the fruit. Ça se rattrape.

6. 6

   Form the ring

   Arrange the glazed croûtes in a close, slightly overlapping circle on a warm serving platter, with their amber faces upward. Spoon the fruit into the middle and moisten it generously with the apricot-Madeira syrup, keeping most of the liquid away from the outer edges of the croûtes so they remain crisp. Serve at once, while the fruit is warm and the sugar glaze still catches under the spoon. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Malaga raisins are large, richly flavored muscatel raisins. Check them for seeds and pip them if necessary; the source names three distinct fruits because each brings a different texture, so don't replace the trio with an anonymous mixed-fruit packet.
• •Use true Madeira rather than salted cooking wine. A medium-rich Bual has enough acidity to keep the apricot lively and enough depth to meet the raisins without making the syrup cloying.
• •Day-old brioche absorbs butter without collapsing and gives the croûtes a tender middle beneath their crisp glaze. Fresh brioche is too soft; if yours is fresh, cut the rounds and leave them uncovered for several hours.
• •No cinnamon, citrus peel, or cream is needed. Madeira and apricot provide the perfume, and extra seasoning only blurs the three fruits the dish is built to show.

Advance Preparation

• •The fruit can be swelled, drained, and blotted up to 8 hours ahead. Keep it covered in the refrigerator, then let it lose its chill before warming it in the syrup.
• •The strained apricot base can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Reheat it gently, reduce it to nappant, and add the Madeira only when finishing so the wine keeps its fragrance.
• •The croûtes can be cut and fried up to 6 hours ahead. Keep them loosely covered at room temperature, crisp them for 4 minutes in a 325°F (165°C) oven, and apply the sugar glaze shortly before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 175g)