Snacko Backo

This french toast is just too good.  For many years- I have loved the french toast at Jane. And this dish- I think I explains how they get that melt in your mouth middle part.  The key- like the breakfast casserole- is to let it soak overnight.  Doing it the night before also leaves less to worry about in the morning- and you don’t have to deal w. making it in batches and keeping them warm.  This recipe comes from Smitten Kitchen.  For flavoring, I used 3 tablespoons Bailey’s and 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract.  I was tempted to scrape a vanilla bean in there- I didn’t- but next time definitely will.  SK uses 3 tablespoons of Bailey’s and 3 tablespoons of Cointreau.  She also says Frangelico, Chambord, Creme de Cassis, Grand Marnier or a teaspoon or two of vanilla or almond extract work would.  And, that you can add some zest, chopped nuts (almond or pecan), raisins or some such if you want.   Now, I didn’t serve it with this- because i didn’t think of it- but I am including the Clinton St. Baking Co. recipe for Maple Syrup Butter (cribbed from the cookbook Mara got when she hung out w. Stavros- the greek shipping heir who used to date Paris Hilton).  This syrup is also the first thing I’m putting on here that I haven’t actually made- but how can it be bad?  This french toast doesn’t really require syrup- but because it just sounds so damn awesome, I wanted to include it.  Throw those balsamic berries on it while your at it.  Would be a killer brunch.

1 loaf supermarket Challah bread in 1-inch slices
3 cups whole milk
3 eggs
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
cinnamon sugar
+whatever booze/flavor combo you want.  I did 3 tablespoon Baileys + 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

SK says:
1. Generously grease a 9×13-inch baking dish [i used a smaller one] with salted (my choice) or unsalted butter.
2.  Arrange bread in two tightly-packed layers in the pan.  Cut one slice into smaller pieces to fill in gaps.  If using a thinner-sliced bread, you might wish for more layers, though I find that over three, even baking can be difficult. If you are using any fillings of fruit or nuts, this is the time to get them between the layers or sprinkled atop.  [Now, mine did not nearly make two layers, and sensing tightly packed would be important- I ended up using a slightly smaller pan- with only one layer.  And it still worked great!)
3. Whisk milk, eggs, sugar, salt and booze or flavorings of your choice and pour over the bread. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
4. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The bread will absorb all of the milk custard while you sleep.
5. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes, or until puffed and golden. This will take longer if you have additional layers.
6. Cut into generous squares and serve with maple syrup, fresh fruit, powdered sugar or all of the above.
Serves 6.

Maple Butter from Clinton St. Baking Co.
1 cup maple syrup
2 sticks cold unsalted butter (cut in cubes)
Heat syrup over medium heat.  Whisk in butter one cube at a time.

This is a dish from Roey- who has known my parents since back in their fire island share house days. Roey makes a killer brunch- best served on the deck of their beach house.  This egg casserole is so golden- because it tastes almost like super eggy french toast with bacon on top- best of all breakfast worlds.  Leftovers freeze surprisingly well. And yes, it is important to soak it overnight- this is what gives it the bread pudding type texture.  I love that aspect though- less prep work in the morning.

12 eggs
Italian bread cubed- or just ripped apart (seedless- like a crusty round loaf- i wouldn’t really use sliced bread, the other day I used a baguette and that worked too)
One and a half cups milk (i like to use whole)
Bacon cooked and crumbled (see note below) I’d say 3/4 a pack is more than enough. I used about 7 slices for 3/4 of the casserole (needed to leave a space open for vegetarian)
Cheddar cheese one package shredded (or if you are shredding your own, that’s 8oz or two loosely packed cups)
9×14″ baking dish

Place cubed bread at bottom of glass baking dish
Mix eggs and milk well, add salt and pepper, pour over bread
Sprinkle cheese over top
Sprinkle bacon over cheese
Place in refrigerator covered w. foil overnight
Bake next morning at 350 for one hour-covered for first 50 minutes then uncover for 10 mins.

A note on Bacon- for this purpose- I think it’s easiest to cook the bacon in the oven.  This time, I decided to use a cooling rack above a cookie sheet so the grease could drip down. But, I think it would be fine just on a cookie sheet.   Line the sheet with foil! And you  put the bacon in while oven is cold- don’t need to preheat ahead. I did it from maybe 17-20mins mins at 350.  But next time, I’d go up to 400 and cook for 10-12mins.  Keep a close eye on it towards the end.  When done, blot w. paper towels- or put on a plate lined w. paper towels.

*Appendix. 2 questions come up- does it work vegetarian? And do I really have to leave it overnight?  I made it the other day w. spinach and ricotta- and that worked. Instead of overnight, I let it sit in the fridge (at least 1 hour) and w saran wrap and a heavy object like a book or boxes of sugar on top. Not quite as good as overnight- but in a bind, it works

I wanted to make a coffee cake- like the kind they sell at Cromer’s out by the beach.  This recipe was pretty on point.  A few stipulations from the folks at America’s Test Kitchen.  “Don’t be tempted to substitute all-purpose flour for the cake flour, as doing so will make a dry, tough cake.”  If you don’t have buttermilk, they say you can use an equal amount of plain-low fat yogurt.  As I didn’t have either- I made sour milk- as I learned in Maine- add 1 tsp lemon juice to 1 cup milk, stir and let sit for 5 minutes (in this instance 1/3 tsp to 1/3 cup milk).  This seems much more efficient to me anyhow because I always buy a big carton of buttermilk, and only use a cup and the rest goes to waste.  [I don’t understand why they don’t sell buttermilk in 8oz cartons like heavy cream.]  Test kitchen also says you can double this recipe for a 9×13 inch pan, increase baking time to about 45 mins.  But really, unless you are having 20 people over, the 8×8 is plenty. The only ridiculous part of the recipe, is actually forming all the topping into individual pea-sized crumbs (roll between thumb and forefinger).  This took a bit of time– Rach Weins was a superstar crumb-maker. She and I did a test corner- with just a willy nilly sprinkling- to see if  the individual crumbing was worth the effort- and it definitely is.  Also, this is surprisingly a pretty legit cake- not just a holder for the crumbs.  As with most brunchy treats, it really tastes best same day.

Crumb topping
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and still warm
1 3/4 cups cake flour (7 ounces)

Cake
1 1/4 cups cake flour (5 ounces)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into 6 pieces, softened but still cool
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup buttermilk (see note)
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

1. Topping: Whisk sugars, cinnamon, salt, and butter in medium bowl to combine. Add flour and stir with rubber spatula or wooden spoon until mixture resembles thick, cohesive dough; set aside to cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Cake: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 16-inch length parchment paper or aluminum foil and fold lengthwise to 7-inch width. Spray 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and fit parchment into dish, pushing it into corners and up sides; allow excess to overhang edges of dish. [this is just so you can pull out of pan easily]
3. In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt on low speed to combine. With mixer running at low speed, add butter one piece at a time; continue beating until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no visible butter chunks remaining, 1 to 2 minutes. Add egg, yolk, vanilla, and buttermilk; beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute, scraping once if necessary.
4. Transfer batter to baking pan; using rubber spatula, spread batter into even layer.  Break apart crumb topping into large pea-sized pieces and spread in even layer over batter, beginning with edges and then working toward center. Bake until crumbs are golden and wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on wire rack at least 30 minutes. Remove cake from pan by lifting parchment overhang. Dust with confectioners’ sugar just before serving.

Some days you are just off your A-game- and screw up every recipe.  And sometimes those days coincide w. inviting your friends (Charlotte & Phil) over for brunch.   Last time I made these biscuits- they were gorgeous- looked exactly like Ina’s.  This time- not as much- I had apples baking on the upper rack so I put these on the lower and ended up burning the bottom- even my parchment paper burned.  So I’d recommend the middle rack.  The apples, which for some un-caffeinated reason, I thought would be fine cooking about 100 degrees over suggested temperature- became applesauce. Interesting mistake w. the scramble.  So, by logic that at omelette stations you see them throwing in the ham before the eggs, I thought I’d do this w. my sausage- sauteing them in the pan before adding eggs.  But for reasons I don’t understand- maybe someone can explain?- this seemed to shift the properties of the eggs- rendering them an entirely different texture.  So the next time- and for the photo- I had to try it again- frying sausage in a separate pan- and adding in once eggs had started to cook.  Scrambles, it should be mentioned, are my favorite brunch item– I love that they have everywhere in SF– and I don’t understand why more NY places don’t have it.  I don’t want an omelette, I want a scramble- and yes, they taste totally different.

Cheddar Biscuits. A Barefoot Contessa recipe.

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
1/2 cup cold buttermilk, shaken
1 cold extra-large egg
1 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk
Maldon sea salt, optional

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place 2 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (I used a food processor w. a dough blade). With the mixer on low, add the butter and mix until the butter is the size of peas.

Combine the buttermilk and egg in a small measuring cup and beat lightly with a fork. With the mixer still on low, quickly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix only until moistened. In a small bowl, mix the Cheddar with small handful of flour and, with the mixer still on low, add the cheese to the dough. Mix only until roughly combined.

Dump out onto a well-floured board and knead lightly about 6 times. Roll the dough out to a rectangle 10 by 5 inches. With a sharp, floured knife, cut the dough lengthwise in half and then across in quarters, making 8 rough rectangles. Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with the egg wash, sprinkle with salt, if using, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the biscuits are cooked through. Serve hot or warm.

The California Scramble
Eggs
Chicken apple sausage
Jack Cheese
Avocado

In a separate pan, saute sausage.  Maybe throw in a (hot?) pepper. Mix eggs w. a small amount of milk (Do you know that apparently eggs w. less liquid are more creamy?).  Add salt & pepper.  Heat other pan (Another trick- your supposed to cook them over low heat), add butter.  Add eggs. Start to scramble.  After they take shape, add sausage and cheese.  When done, take off heat, and quickly mix in avo.