Raisin pain au lait with honey quince and crème fraîche

1.For honey quince, preheat oven to 120C. Combine all ingredients (except quince, peel and trimmings) and 750ml water in a large saucepan, stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add quince, peel and trimmings, cover closely with baking paper, weight with a plate, cover with foil and cook until quince is tender and pale pink (2½-3 hours). Remove quince with a slotted spoon, set aside, then strain liquid into a clean saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced by half (25-30 minutes). Pour syrup over quince and set aside.

2.For raisin pain au lait, process flour, honey, yeast, spices and orange rind in a food processor to combine. Add milk and eggs, pulse to combine, then add butter and process until a soft dough forms. Transfer to a buttered bowl, cover and stand in a warm place until doubled in size (1-1½ hours). Turn onto a lightly floured surface, knock back, then knead in raisins and candied orange peel, shape into a cylinder and place in a buttered 7cm x 29cm loaf tin (see note). Cover with plastic wrap, stand until dough rises to just below rim (45 minutes-1 hour). Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180C. Bake bread in oven, weighted with an oven tray topped with a cast-iron pan (see note), until golden and cooked through (30-40 minutes). Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. Raisin pain au lait will keep, stored in an airtight container, for 5 days.

3.Reduce oven to 150C. Whisk eggs and milk to combine, then transfer to a shallow tray. Cut raisin pain au lait into six 3cm-thick slices, stand in egg mixture, turning once, until soaked (2 minutes each side), then drain.

4.Heat half the butter in a large frying pan, add three slices of raisin pain au lait and cook, turning once, until golden (1-2 minutes each side). Transfer to a baking tray lined with baking paper, keep warm in oven. Wipe pan with absorbent paper, repeat with remaining butter and raisin pain au lait. Serve hot with honey quince and syrup and crème fraîche.