Unstickable brioche buns with maple caramel, chocolate and maple bacon

This sticky-to-your-finger brioche is made with a light dough, a maple-pecan caramel, and a chocolate filling, and is topped with maple-caramelized bacon. It's baked like a tarte Tatin, in the caramel, and flipped to serve!

Preparation: 2 hours

Rest: 5:30 a.m.

Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Yield: 12 buns

Ingredients

For the dough

250 ml (1 cup) of 2% milk

1 tbsp dry yeast

95 g (1/3 cup + 2 tbsp) sugar

2 large eggs

1 vanilla pod

325 g (2 1/4 cups) bread flour

325 g (2 1/4 cups) cake flour

½ tsp salt

115 g (1/2 cup) butter at room temperature, cut into cubes

275 g (1 1/2 cups) chocolate spread

270 g (1 1/2 cups) chocolate chips

For the maple caramelized bacon

65 ml (¼ cup) maple syrup

55 g (¼ cup) packed whole-grain brown sugar

250g smoked bacon

 

For the maple caramel

113 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

85 g (¼ cup) golden corn syrup

85 g (¼ cup) maple syrup

215 g (1 cup) packed whole-grain brown sugar

¼ tsp salt

160 g (1 1/4 cups) coarsely chopped pecans

For the chocolate filling

115 g (2/3 cup) 60% cocoa dark chocolate, chopped

45 g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature

255 g (1 1/2 cups) chocolate chips

Preparation

For the dough

1. In a bowl, heat the milk in the microwave until lukewarm.

2. In a large bowl, place the dry yeast and pour in the milk.

3. Add the sugar and mix, then let the yeast activate until the mixture foams.

4. Add the eggs to the mixture.

5. Cut the vanilla pod lengthwise and, using the blade of a knife, scrape out the seeds and add them to the milk mixture.

6. Using a spoon, stir in the flours and salt.

7. Add the butter in three batches, kneading the dough with your hands each time. The dough will be sticky.

8. On a smooth, floured surface, with floured hands, knead the dough using a back-and-forth motion: push the dough forward by squeezing it with your wrists, then bring it back towards you by folding it over on itself. Work the dough, repeating this motion about thirty times to activate the gluten and make the dough smooth and elastic.

9. Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours.

For the caramel bacon

1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C).

2. In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the maple syrup and brown sugar until syrupy. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

3. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a baking rack on it. Place the bacon slices side by side on the rack. Brush the bacon slices with syrup. Turn the slices over and repeat.

4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and caramelized. Check the bacon after the first 20 minutes. Set aside.

For the maple caramel

1. Butter a 30 x 22 cm (12 x 9 in) or equivalently sized dish.

2. In a saucepan, combine the butter, both syrups, brown sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.

3. Stir in the pecans, then pour into the buttered dish.

For the chocolate filling

1. In a bowl, place 2/3 of the chopped chocolate and melt in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds.

2. Add the remaining chopped chocolate and butter and mix until smooth and glossy. Set the chocolate chips aside for assembly.

To assemble the brioche

1. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and, using a rolling pin, roll it out into a 30 x 60 cm (12 x 24 in) rectangle. Add flour to the rolling pin and countertop if the dough is sticky. If the dough shrinks, let it rest and repeat the process.

2. Using a spatula, spread the chocolate filling over the entire surface of the dough, leaving a 3 cm (1 in) border on the top of the rectangle. Spread the chocolate chips evenly over the entire filling.

3. Starting with the side of the rectangle closest to the edge of the counter, roll the dough into a uniform, compact roll. Seal the roll by pinching the top edge of the rectangle onto the roller.

4. Roll the roll so that the closure is facing down and cut into 12 equal portions.

5. Place the portions in the buttered dish, cut side down in the pecan caramel, in 3 rows of 4, then cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1 hour, or until the rolls touch.

6. Preheat oven to 375F (185C) and bake on the middle oven rack, placing a baking sheet underneath to catch any drippings during baking. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the buns are golden brown and the temperature in the center of one of them reaches 200F (95C).

7. Remove the buns from the oven and immediately run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the caramel. Turn the buns out onto a plate, scraping any remaining caramel from the plate with a spatula.

8. Chop the caramelized bacon and spread evenly over the buns. Serve immediately.