Spring - using factory beans in configuration?

What is the correct way to use factory beans in @Configuration classes?

Suppose I have the following for SessionFactory:

@Bean
public AnnotationSessionFactoryBean sessionFactory() {
    AnnotationSessionFactoryBean factory = new AnnotationSessionFactoryBean();
    // set up properties etc.
    return factory;
}

Right now this method returns a bean factory which does not implement SessionFactory. If I use it in another bean with @Autowired as SessionFactory, it works just fine and obtains it from bean factory:

@Controller
public class MyController {
    @Autowired SessionFactory sessionFactory;
    // ...
}

I guess that's OK.

However, it becomes an issue if I want to use the SessionFactory in the same configuration class:

@Bean
public HibernateTransactionManager transactionManager() {
    HibernateTransactionManager man = new HibernateTransactionManager();
    // Ideal - doesn't work because sessionFactory() return type doesn't match:
    // SessionFactory sessionFactory = sessionFactory();
    // Is this one correct?
    // SessionFactory sessionFactory = (SessionFactory) sessionFactory().getObject();
    man.setSessionFactory(sessionFactory);
    return man;
}

What is The Right Way to implement this kind of dependency?