Peter Pancakes: Ricotta Pancakes With Fruit from Five Leaves, Brooklyn NY

For those of you who have ever thought "Pancakes! Great Idea!" and then carb-o-loaded only to find yourselves sugar-crashed, carb-full but oddly still hungry two hours later, I have two words for you: Ricotta. Pancakes.

This sweet stack of awesome was obtained at Five Leaves Cafe in the Greenpoint/Williamsburgish crossroads of Brooklyn, NY, after we saw the party at the next table order it and couldn't keep our eyes off of it. 

These ricotta pancakes were served with a healthy array of fresh fruits, maple syrup, and--joy!--something  called honeycomb butter.

Fluffy yet substantial, these pancakes are a little richer than most, with a beautifully filling batter that will keep you fat and happy for hours--and yet, magically, they don't make the batter leaden-dense, but somehow achieve a lightness that scrunches most satisfyingly under the hungry tines of your fork and keeps you coming back for more...until...

...of course, if you can't be in Brooklyn right this instant, you might consider this recipe from Baking Bites.

Five Leaves, 18 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY; online here.

Toast of the Town: Brioche French Toast from Oddfellows Cafe, Seattle

Recently, Danny stuffed his face with something delicious: Brioche French Toast with Mascarpone and fresh fruit from Oddfellows Cafe in Seattle.

For one thing, when you have this plate put in front of you, it's pretty impossible not to smile. It's huge. It is the size of your head. Not that quantity is more important than quality, but, you know, a big plate of food is a happy thing.

And happily, the quality is equal to the quantity, if not greater. "This is really, really good" was Mr. Spy's first comment; when pressed, he added a few notes:

The texture, while crispy on the outside, was almost custardy inside, soft and buoyant, cakey bread which porously absorbed the delicious syrup and strawberry juice that dripped from the ripe, flavorful fruit. The mascarpone added a lovely, lightly tangy flavor contrast which worked beautifully with the syrup and berries, and the bread itself was studded with bits of (orange?) zest which added a nice tart edge and kept it from being sweetness overload.

Final verdict: very good. If you find yourself in the neighborhood, you'll probably be going to Oddfellows anyway, as they have so much delicious stuff; if you happen to be there in the morning, the French Toast is going to be a Good Choice.

Oddfellows Cafe, 1525 10th Ave E. Seattle; online at oddfellowscafe.com.

Sweetness in the Morning: Coffee Spanish Torrijas Recipe

Nomsies! A big thank you to Eagle Brand Condensed Milk and to Ingrid Hoffman, who were kind enough to share this recipe for Coffee Spanish Torrijas (described to me as "like Spanish French Toast").

Coffee Spanish Torrijas

Yield: 6-8 servings / Prep Time: 10 Minutes / Cook Time: 5 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 (14 oz.) can Sweetened Condensed Milk, divided
• 1/3 cup strong brewed coffee, plus 4 tsp., divided
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 2 to 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 (6 oz.) loaf French bread, cut into 16 (1/2-inch) slices
• Ground cinnamon 

Instructions:

1. HEAT oven to 250°F. Place small baking sheet in oven.
2. WHISK together 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk, 1/3 cup coffee and vanilla in large bowl. Whisk egg in medium shallow bowl until blended.
3. HEAT 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium heat. Dip one bread slice at a time in milk mixture, then in beaten egg, turning to coat both sides. Place 5 to 6 slices in heated skillet. Cook until browned, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Place on baking sheet in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining slices adding more oil as needed.
4. COMBINE remaining sweetened condensed milk and 4 teaspoons coffee in small bowl to make topping. Drizzle topping over warm bread slices just before serving. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
5. For a citrus topping, stir 1 teaspoon lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon grated lime peel into topping.

Feeling Toasty: Coconut French Toast With Bananas Foster Recipe from Joe Yonan

What happens when coconut, French Toast, and Bananas Foster make sweet love?

Well, find out for yourself (pervert!)--check out Serve Yourself: Nightly Adventures in Cooking for One by Joe Yonan. He was kind enough to share the following recipe from the new release:

Coconut French Toast with Bananas Foster

• 3 tablespoons pecan halves
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 thick (3/4- to 1-inch) slice rich white bread, such as brioche or challah, trimmed neatly into a round or square (crusts removed)
• 1/4 cup Japanese-style panko
• 2 tablespoons dried unsweetened coconut flakes (medium shred)
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
• 1 banana, peeled and diagonally sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 2 tablespoons dark rum

Procedure

1. Toast the pecans in a small, dry skillet over medium-high heat, shaking the pan frequently, until they start to turn dark brown and smell very fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Immediately transfer them to a plate to cool.
2. Whisk the egg, coconut milk, and vanilla extract together in a shallow bowl. Add the bread; let it stand for about 10 minutes, turning it over about halfway through, until it has absorbed most of the liquid.
3. Combine the panko crumbs, coconut, and granulated sugar on a plate. Use a spatula to transfer the soaked bread to the crumb mixture, and turn to coat both sides evenly. Pat as much of the mixture as you can onto the bread.
4. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-low heat in a small skillet. Add the bread and cook until it is golden brown and crusted, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn it over and cook another few minutes, until it is golden brown on the second side. (Reduce the temperature as needed to keep the bread from getting too dark.) Transfer to a plate. The inside of the French toast will be fairly spongy.
5. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of butter to the pan and let it melt. Add the brown sugar and stir until it melts, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the banana slices and stir until they are warmed through and coated with the butter in the pan, 1 minute. Add the pecans and rum, and stir to combine.
6. Spoon the warmed banana mixture over the French toast, and eat.

Note: Some brands of coconut milk, such as Chaokoh from Thailand, are available in 5.6-ounce cans rather than the standard 13.5 to 14 ounces. Store coconut milk in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze in ice-cube trays and then store the cubes in freezer-safe heavy-duty plastic bags for several months.

Reprinted with permission from Serve Yourself: Nightly Adventures in Cooking for One by Joe Yonan copyright © 2011. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

Flash in the Panera: Eating Muffin Tops from Panera Bread

CakeSpy Note: So, a few weeks ago Panera Bread emails me and says "would you like to be part of our blog program? We'll pay you." Well, you know, in so many words. So, naturally, I accepted their money and ate their sweet treats.

Guess what I did today? I went to Panera Bread and after reviewing their baked goods case for several moments, said "Give me your biggest muffin top".

Now, as the employee gently (but firmly) pointed out, they're actually called "Muffies". I'll tell you the honest truth, dear reader: I knew this. But I had made my decision.

Regardless of what you want to call them, they're pretty tasty. They had cornbread, pumpkin, and chocolate chip varieties on the day of my visit. 

Favorite by far? The chocolate chip variety. With a texture that seemed like the unholy yet delicious love child of a cookie, scone, and unfrosted cupcake, this moist, dense treat was satisfying, with a great, crusty top, giving way to a soft, cakey interior.

Plus, it's called a Muffin Top (I mean "muffie"), so it's totally an acceptable cake-for-breakfast type food.

Score!

To find a location close to you, visit panerabread.com; follow them on Twitter here, and find them on Facebook here.

Gee Whiz: Cinnamon Toast With Cheez Whiz Recipe

If you've ever been plagued by the question "what are they eating for breakfast in North Dakota right now?" I have an answer for you: if it's a special day, probably cinnamon toast with Cheez Whiz. No, I am not kidding. I have it on good authority from locals that this is something that they actually do, without a trace of irony. Curious, I gave it a try, and have to assign it this verdict: it's terrible. It's awful. I couldn't stop eating it.

This recipe is easily doubled, tripled, or quadrupled.

Cinnamon Toast With Cheez Whiz

1 serving

• 2 slices cinnamon swirl bread (with or without raisins)
• 2 tablespoons Cheez Whiz

Procedure

Toast the cinnamon swirl bread. Smear each slice with a tablespoon of Cheez Whiz. Enjoy.

Eat Dessert First: Chronicling Breakssert, the Beyond-Cereal Breakfast

CakeSpy Note: This is a sweet dispatch from Cake Gumshoe Shannon Connell, a food and travel writer based in Chapel Hill, NC. Visit her website here.

They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. There’s nothing wrong with an old-fashioned plate of bacon and eggs or even a bowl of granola. But, I dare to dream a little bigger, and definitely a lot sweeter — allow me to introduce breakssert.

Breakssert is a collision of savory and sweet, an impatient ode to what traditionally comes as the first and last flavors of the day. It’s starting the morning off on a sweet foot. Breakssert is the reason that saving the best for last is, simply put, a mistake.

At Terrace Café in Charlotte, North Carolina, they’re getting breakssert right. Their Red Velvet Waffles (pictured top) and S’mores French Toast are enough to make even the most reluctant morning person get out of bed dancing (I know because I am that person).

The Red Velvet Waffle is a crimson grid of sweetness that’s just a tad crispy on the outside but warm and chewy on the inside. If your sweet tooth isn’t quelled by the waffle itself, the cream cheese icing, powdered sugar and a strawberry will seal the deal.

The S’mores French Toast makes any ordinary s’more look plain puny. Chocolate-dipped Texas toast is coated in graham cracker crumbs in a sandwich of chocolate and marshmallowy goodness.

But if you're not in Charlotte, how can you add more breakssert to your life, and fast? Here are some tips. Try your local diner, the non-health conscious, long-time purveyor of sweets and grease. For instance, DeLuca's Restaurant, a famous diner in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that has been featured on the Travel Channel’s ever-popular Man v. Food, isn’t shy about serving up gargantuan-sized Heavenly Hotcakes and Waffle Sundaes.

Image: RoadFood.comSo what could be better than a pancake topped with ice cream? Two pancakes filled with blueberries and bananas topped with ice cream, whipped cream, strawberries, honey-roasted pecans and chocolate and caramel sauce. That’s the ingredient line-up for their Banana Split Heavenly Hotcakes. Their other seven variations include the Almond Joy, Reese’s Cup and Funky Monkey – a winning combination of double chocolate banana pancakes, French vanilla ice cream, bananas, chocolate and caramel topping.

You can also bring the concept of breakssert home by incorporating sweetness and innovation into your morning meal. A personal favorite is Crème Brulee French Toast, a simple blend of bread, eggs, sugar and butter. A dash of vanilla and Grand Marnier go a long way to bring a lot of flavor to this dessert-inspired dish from Allrecipes.com.Image: Allrecipes.com

Crème Brulee French Toast

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 6 French bread slices
• 5 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon brandy-based orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier®)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Mix in brown sugar and corn syrup, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Remove crusts from bread, and arrange in the baking dish in a single layer. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half, vanilla extract, orange brandy, and salt. Pour over the bread. Cover, and chill at least 8 hours, or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the dish from the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature.
4. Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until puffed and lightly browned. 

Be forewarned! Coffee is a recommended accompaniment to all of the dishes above if you don’t want to enter a post-breakfast food coma. But if you’re looking for a good start to a lazy Sunday morning, breakssert may just be a perfect ingredient.

Sweet Start: Custom Cereal by me & goji

A while back, I was contacted by a custom artisanal cereal company called me&goji with a sweet offer to try out their build-your-own-cereal tool for free. 

Very cool, but unless it's being used in cereal treats of some sort, I have to be honest: I am not much of a cereal eater.

But then it hit me: could I use this as an opportunity to create the least healthy--and therefore most delicious-- cereal on earth?

Well, I was certainly going to try.

So, when you start the "build your own cereal" adventure, you are greeted with an array of base cereals with which to start your mix, including flax flakes, oats, and something called "healthy hoops". I scrolled right on past these choices and settled on what was clearly the best: "Choco Granola".

After that, you get to add various mix-ins to customize your cereal. Choices include things like healthy, fiber-rich fruit, oat, and nut mixtures.

Of course, they also include things like the melange I chose, which included Cacao nibs, coconut, macadamias, cocoa almonds, choco-peanuts, chocolate chips...and, for health, banana chips.  And I called it...

Now, I'm not going to say that this is the least healthy cereal ever, but it certainly does sound more like the ingredient list for a rich cookie bar than for cereal, doesn't it?

But proof is in the pudding, so how did it taste?

In a word: rich. This was like taking trail mix and removing all of the pesky raisins that get in your way and adding a whole lot more delicious stuff. When covered in milk it became a decadent treat of a breakfast, one that left the remaining milk tasting like some sort of Momofuku dream.

You could use me & goji to create a delicious, healthful cereal--but if you ask me, it's far tastier to create a dessert-of-a-breakfast for a sin-cereal-y delicious treat.

Create your own cereal confection--I mean, creation-- at meandgoji.com. Oh, and they have some Valentine's Day Specials, too!

Toast of the Town: French Toast from Table 219, Seattle

CakeSpy Note: When it comes to starting the day sweetly, Mr. CakeSpy's favored flavor of delicious is French Toast. He's known and loved many varieties and has even perfected the art of eating it. Every now and again, we feature a particularly toothsome one he's tried here.

And now, there's a new variety that he suggests to keep you toasty during the cold Seattle winter: French Toast from Table 219.

Now, the restaurant's menu description for this item is...well, sort of nondescript:

"rustic bread dipped in egg batter and topped with today’s fruit selection. served with real maple syrup"

And even when it came to the table, it looked like fairly standard French Toast fare--a modest portion at that. But from the first bite, it was clear that pains had been taken to ensure that this was no ordinary pain perdu. The texture was absolutely perfect, with a lightly sweet, crunchy, evenly browned exterior giving way to a soft, yielding interior, which was almost custardy from what one can only imagine was an extremely luxuriant bath in egg mixture before its pan-frying. On the day of our visit, the fruit of the day was a homemade peach compote, which was a mellow, smooth, sweet complement to the sweet slices of carbohydrate bliss.

Only reservation? If you're an extremely hearty breakfast eater, you might want to order some eggs or bacon (or both) on the side. But moreover, the flavor of this French toast is well worth a try.

Table 219, 219 Broadway Ave. E, Seattle. For more information, visit the Table 219 website.

Have Some Funfetti: Funfetti Pancakes for Serious Eats

Fact: half of the word "pancake" is comprised of the word "cake". Actually, if you want to get really technical, it's slightly more than half.

And in celebration of bringing more cake to the pan, I'd like to present my newest invention: Funfetti Pancakes.

By lightly modifying a typical cake mix, you can make your own DIY pancake mix; the resulting pancakes are light and fluffy, but sweeter (and in this case, more colorful) than the typical griddle fare. Top them with jam, syrup, or even cake frosting for a morning treat that tastes like sweet fun.

For the full entry (and recipe!) visit Serious Eats!