Rub duck legs with salt, pepper, one crushed garlic clove, four thyme sprigs, and bay leaves.
Pack duck tightly into a ceramic dish, drizzle with brandy, and marinate in the fridge for 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 150°C.
Scrape the marinade off the duck pieces.
Melt duck fat in a heavy casserole dish and add the duck, remaining garlic, and remaining thyme sprigs.
Bake in the oven for 3.5 to 4 hours until the meat is very tender.
Cool uncovered, then strain half the fat, boil it, and pour into a clean ceramic dish to set in the fridge.
Submerge cooled duck in the set fat, pour over the remaining fat, and chill to set for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Remove duck from fat, place in a tray, sprinkle with salt, and roast for 40 minutes until golden.