Chorizo brioche with onion compote

For the dough:

• Strong bread flour 300g
• Caster sugar 25g
• Fresh yeast 10g
• Salt 6g
• Free-range eggs 3 medium
• Butter 150g, room temperature

For the onion compote:

• Onions 2 medium, peeled and sliced
• Chorizo 130g, sliced into matchsticks
• Thyme 10 sprigs, leaves picked
• Rapeseed oil 1 tbsp
• Parmesan 50g, grated

For the egg wash:

• Free-range egg 1 medium
• Milk a splash

1. For the dough: using an electric mixer, combine the dry ingredients.
2. Add the eggs and mix until incorporated, then add the butter and mix again.
3. Once the dough has come together, remove the bowl from the mixer and cover with a damp cloth. Leave it to rest in the fridge for 5 hours.
4. For the onion compote: in a pan over a medium heat, sweat the onion, chorizo and thyme leaves in the rapeseed oil, constantly stirring until the onions are soft and light golden brown. Remove from the pan and place on kitchen paper to drain off the excess oil and cool.
5. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a clean surface. Roll out the dough to approximately 5mm thick.
6. Spread the cold onion compote evenly over the dough, then sprinkle with grated parmesan.
7. Roll the dough into a sausage shape (think jam roly-poly). If you want to make a loaf, leave in this shape. To make individual rolls, cut into 5cm slices. Place the portions into greased ring moulds so the swirl of the onion compote is on the top.
8. For the egg wash: whisk together the egg and milk, then use it to brush the top of the dough.
9. Put the moulds, or loaf, on a baking tray and cover with a damp cloth. Place in a warm dry spot until the dough has doubled in size. This will take 1 hour.
10. Bake the brioche in the oven at 180˚C / gas 4 for 16 minutes. Serve warm with lashings of salty butter.