Char Siu Toast with Egg Jam

Ingredients

• 4 medium eggs (Room temperature; yolks are used for the egg jam.)
• 3 cup chicken stock (For the egg jam; reduce to 2 tbsp.)
• seasoning (Season to taste.)
• 200 g pork mince (The author used pork belly, par-frozen and ground to pebbles in a food processor.)
• 100 g brown sugar (For the char siu marinade.)
• 2 g white pepper (For the char siu marinade.)
• 2 g Chinese five-spice powder (For the char siu marinade.)
• 2 g ground ginger (For the char siu marinade.)
• 5 g garlic powder (For the char siu marinade.)
• 10 g MSG (Optional but recommended.)
• 50 g light soy sauce (For the char siu marinade.)
• 20 g Chinese cooking wine (For the char siu marinade.)
• 20 g oyster sauce (For the char siu marinade.)
• 20 g sesame paste (For the char siu marinade.)
• 40 g hoisin sauce (For the char siu marinade.)
• 1 cube red fermented bean curd (For the char siu marinade.)
• 0.25 cup chicken stock or water (Added to the char siu mixture.)
• 2 tbsp potato starch slurry (Used to thicken the char siu mixture; the source does not specify the liquid used to make the slurry.)
• 6 brioche slices (Crusts removed.)
• 1 egg (For brushing the brioche.)
• 1 tbsp cream (Mixed with the egg for brushing.)
• 3 tbsp butter (For the honey butter topping.)
• 3 tbsp brown sugar (For the honey butter topping.)
• 2 tbsp honey (For the honey butter topping.)
• 0.5 tsp salt (For the honey butter mixture; season the egg jam to taste separately.)

Steps

1. 1

   Submerge the four room-temperature eggs in boiling water, then let them cool back to room temperature.

2. 2

   Remove the yolks from the cooled eggs. Rinse the yolks gently under cool water to remove as much egg white as possible, then pass the yolks through a sieve.

3. 3

   Reduce the 3 cups of chicken stock to 2 tablespoons. The source recommends reducing the size of the pots as the stock reduces to prevent over-reduced residue from collecting on the sides.

4. 4

   While the stock reduction is still warm, stir it quickly into the sieved yolks until homogeneous and thickened. Season to taste, then set aside as the egg jam.

5. 5

   Whisk together the brown sugar, white pepper, five-spice powder, ground ginger, garlic powder, MSG, light soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, oyster sauce, sesame paste, hoisin sauce, and red fermented bean curd until homogeneous.

6. 6

   Pour one-third of the marinade into the pork mince and mix to combine.

7. 7

   Let the pork mince brown while its fat renders and the mixture reduces. Add a second third of the marinade and continue cooking until caramelized.

8. 8

   Discard the excess pork fat. Add the final third of the marinade, followed by the 1/4 cup chicken stock or water.

9. 9

   Thicken the pork mixture with the potato starch slurry, then set the char siu mixture aside.

10. 10

    Remove the crusts from the brioche slices. Take the center piece of brioche and cut out a window from its center, leaving a frame.

11. 11

    Whisk the additional egg with the cream. Brush the egg-and-cream mixture over the brioche, then adhere the brioche frame on top.

12. 12

    Fill the brioche window with the char siu mixture. Brush more of the egg-and-cream mixture over the brioche to enclose the filling.

13. 13

    Combine the butter, brown sugar, honey, and salt to make the honey butter, then top the assembled toast with it.

14. 14

    Bake at 180°C for 10 minutes, or until golden.

15. 15

    Let the toast cool for 5 minutes, then serve altogether with the egg jam.

Notes

The source does not specify whether 180 means °C or °F; 180°C is the likely intended oven temperature, but this has been normalized with that caveat. The amount of liquid used to make the potato starch slurry is not specified. The source says to serve the toast and egg jam together but does not specify the plating arrangement.

Nutrition per serving

• breakfast
• main
• Hong Kong-style
• East Asian
• baked
• brioche
• pork
• egg