Quinces and Prunes with Caramelized Brioche

• 4 cups water
• 2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 fragrant small pineapple quinces* (1 lb total), halved lengthwise
• 7 pitted prunes, halved
• 2/3 cup Armagnac
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
• 6 (3/4-inch-thick) slices from a large brioche or challah loaf
• Accompaniment: creme fraiche

1. Bring water and 2 1/2 cups sugar to a boil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
2. Add quinces and cook at a bare simmer, partially covered, turning occasionally, until tender when pierced near core with a fork (core will remain hard), about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Cool quinces, uncovered, in syrup, about 1 1/2 hours, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate.
4. While quinces are cooling, simmer prunes in Armagnac in a small saucepan, uncovered, until plump, about 10 minutes, then cool.
5. Drain prunes in a sieve set over a bowl, reserving Armagnac.
6. Set aside 6 prune halves and finely chop remainder.
7. Cook butter and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.
8. Carefully add 1/4 cup Grand Marnier and 6 tablespoons reserved Armagnac.
9. (Mixture may ignite.
10. If so, let flames burn out.)
11. Simmer until slightly syrupy, about 2 minutes.
12. Transfer Grand Marnier sauce to a measuring cup.
13. Core quinces using a large melon-ball cutter and a sharp small knife.
14. Scoop 1 tablespoon flesh from center of each quince half and transfer to a bowl.
15. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean with sharp small knife into bowl with quince flesh, reserving pod.
16. Stir in chopped prunes and remaining tablespoon Grand Marnier.
17. Transfer quince halves to a shallow baking pan and spoon filling into cavity of each, then top with prune halves.
18. Drizzle each quince half with 1 teaspoon Grand Marnier sauce, reserving remaining sauce.
19. Cut vanilla pod halves crosswise into thirds and stick 1 piece into filling of each quince.
20. Preheat broiler.
21. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean with sharp small knife into a shallow bowl, then whisk together with cream, eggs, sugar, and Grand Marnier.
22. Dip brioche slices into batter 1 at a time, letting them soak 1 minute on each side.
23. Transfer to a buttered shallow (1-inch-deep) flameproof baking pan.
24. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side.
25. Transfer brioche to a cutting board and halve diagonally, then return to baking pan.
26. Preheat oven to 400F.
27. Bake quinces in upper third of oven until heated through, about 10 minutes.
28. At the same time, reheat brioche in lower third of oven until hot, about 6 minutes.
29. Divide quinces and brioche among 6 plates and drizzle remaining Grand Marnier sauce over and around quinces.
30. Spoon creme frai:che on top.

water, sugar, pineapple, prunes, armagnac, unsalted butter, grand marnier, vanilla bean, vanilla bean, heavy cream, eggs, sugar, grand marnier, creme fraiche

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/quinces-and-prunes-with-caramelized-brioche-105628 (may not work)