Breakfast is Served: Panettone French Toast

There are some people who make the most ridiculous claim. This is it: "I forget to eat breakfast".

I, personally, have never in my life forgotten to eat breakfast. There have been maybe a handful of times when I didn't eat breakfast for various reasons, but never because I forgot.

I love breakfast--it's one of the best parts of the day for me. So when I got sent a big ol' box of panettone in the mail from Bauli as part of their #BauliBakeOff event, I immediately began to think of ways to breakfast-ize it. 

I decided to stay really simple and make panettone French toast. This is fusion at its best: Italian meets French, Christmas meets brunch. The absorbent, fluffy bread soaks up the milk and egg mixture like a pro, and fries up toasty on the edges, and custard-y on the inside. It is so good, I can ignore the vaguely fruitcake-esque characteristics of the panettone which, on lesser days, can irritate me. 

This is a simple recipe, but very delicious. I sliced the panettone into huge coins, so it makes for a fun presentation, too, with each serving about the size of a salad plate! 

Panettone French toast

Makes 4 very generous servings

• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch salt
• 1/4 cup granulated or brown sugar
• 1 panettone di Milano (you'll use about half of it)
• maple syrup, for serving (optional)

Procedure

1. Combine the first five ingredients (everything but the bread) in a large, flat vessel such as a pie plate or a 9x9-inch baking pan. Whisk together until combined.
2. Slice the panettone into nearly inch-thick slices, like coins, starting from the top. 
3. Place the first slice in the soaking mixture, and let it soak for 20-30 seconds. Flip it and let it soak on the second side.
4. Place a frying pan large enough to accomodate the large slices on a burner. Turn the heat on high, and melt a generous knob of butter in the pan. Once it's sizzly, place the soaked slice on the burner. Immediately reduce the heat to medium. Fry on one side until golden and toasty (about 2 minutes on my stovetop) and then flip and repeat on the second side.
5. While the first slice fries, soak the second slice. Make yourself a little assembly line so that while one slice fries, you are soaking the slice on deck.
6. Serve immediately. This tastes great with maple syrup.

What's your favorite "alternative" carb for French toast?

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.

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.