other

Baked Eggs with Salsa and Toast Points

I promised you in my previous post on Eggs in a French Toast Basket that another tasty breakfast was coming, and here it is! This recipe is as simple as sippin’ iced tea, and also happens to be one of my favorite morning treats. In only 15 minutes, you can be sitting down to a fresh-out-of-the-oven breakfast. Do I sound like a commercial? Good. I meant to.

There are actually tons of variations on baked eggs. My version is simplified from the Williams-Sonoma recipe for Baked Eggs with Tomatoes and Cream to include the things I normally have on hand: salsa, cheese, and sometimes cream. Oh, and eggs. Cage-free eggs, that is, which I firmly believe are worth the dollar extra — even during my financially lean times. Happy chickens make me feel better while I’m scooping up warm yolk with my toast.

Speaking of sopping things up with toast, toast points are so simple to make, and are a terrific accompaniment to this dish. Buttery, toasted triangles make the perfect little sponges for traces of salsa and egg left in your ramekin. However, if you’re on a lower-carb diet, omitting the toast makes this a completely low-carb treat!

Now, you can make this dish fancier for a weekend breakfast. If you have the time and want to mix up some homemade salsa (like the delicious recipe below, compliments of my Aunt Jo Anne), indulge yourself. If you’d rather keep it simple and go the store-bought route, I’m infatuated with the Tex-Mexy On the Border salsa. Don’t hate until you try it; it’s fantastic — can’t believe it’s from a jar!

Aunt Jo Anne’s Homemade Salsa


Recipe by: Jo Anne Ruble
Yields: A lot (how’s that for scientific?) — you can half it if you’re just using it for baked eggs here and there.

Ingredients:
2 cans tomato sauce
1 large banana pepper, seeded and split
2 jalapeno peppers (or to taste), seeded and split
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
cilantro
1 large onion, quartered

Directions:
Blacken 3 peppers in saute pan sprayed with Pam or rubbed with olive oil (Beware! When seeding peppers, use gloves and wash hands immediately. Do not rub your eyes or face. You may want to have a window open for ventilation, because they may make you cough.)

Put tomato sauce into blender along with the rest of the ingredients, dropping in peppers as they blacken. Pulse until combined, but leave a little chunky if desired. Add salt as needed to taste. My mom uses quite a bit of cilantro, so go wild! Store covered in refrigerator.

If you want to bake your own fresh bread for toast points, go for it. If you want to add fancy ingredients here and there (bacon or pancetta? artisan cheese?), I fully support you. But just know that even on those busy weekday mornings, you can throw together some of your favorite jarred salsa, eggs, and cheese and have a few moments of blissful breakfast.

Baked Eggs with Salsa and Toast Points


Recipe by: Adapted heavily from Williams-Sonoma
Yields: 2 3-in. ramekins, or 2 servings

Ingredients:
6-8 tablespoons of your favorite salsa (I use On the Border Salsa)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons heavy cream (optional — I leave this out if I don’t have it on hand)
sprinkle of cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
fresh cilantro
bread for toast points (1-2 slices)
1 tablespoon melted butter for toasting

Optional accompaniments: avocado, sour cream

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter two ramekins (or spray with nonstick cooking spray).

Toast bread: Trim crusts if desired. Brush bread with butter on both sides and toast on a baking sheet in the oven for 1-2 minutes per side.Melt tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and toast bread, 1-2 minutes per side. Allow to cool slightly. NOTE: I actually usually toast my bread in the skillet, but I think the oven is a more reliable way to get a nice golden brown all over. And, you know, you’ve got it heated up for your eggs anyway!

Spoon 3-4 tablespoons salsa into each buttered ramekin (enough to cover the bottom). Break one egg over the salsa in each ramekin. Drizzle each egg with 1 teaspoon cream. Salt and pepper. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until the egg whites are opaque and the yolks have firm edges and are soft in the center, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle each ramekin with cheddar cheese and return to the oven just to melt, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with torn fresh cilantro. Serve with toast points, avocado, sour cream, etc. as desired.


Happy morning!


Share Share this post with friends!

by | 24 Comments
cakes

Caramel Fudge Brownie Cheesecake

I’ve got to tell you about a special guy. He was shorter than me for most of his life, but suddenly, a couple of years ago, I came home to visit and he was looking down at me. He’s got bright blue eyes and a head full of curls, a dry wit, and really fat rabbit he calls Pilfer. I am not brave enough to wear skinny jeans, but he is. He is my little brother, Joel-called-Alex, and that little chubby cheeked guy you see in the photo next to my Caramel Fudge Brownie Cheesecake . . . that would be him about a decade ago. (Speaking of Caramel Fudge Brownie Cheesecake, it may be the best thing I’ve ever eaten — which is probably not surprising considering it’s a Caramel Fudge Brownie Cheesecake).

It’s hard to decide which is cuter . . . ganache rosettes or little boy smiles. Look below for a closer view to help you decide. Cakes are nice, but I think he wins!


Alex at 8 years old and now!

Something pretty exciting happened in his life on Thursday night: he graduated high school as part of the Hickory Grove Christian School Class of 2010. My family gathered for the occasion, although honestly, I don’t think I really believed that my little brother was actually graduating until this moment:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGLvtJkwDtw&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

And just like that, little Alex — who I remember driving around in his red PowerWheels jeep and running through sprinklers with me as a kid — was a graduate. In the fall, he’ll begin his undergraduate education at N.C. State, the same school Mike is attending for grad school — now I have two reasons to be a Wolfpack fan! I can already tell you that plenty of school nights will find them playing video games together and acting like goofballs.

To fully express my feelings about this momentous occasion, I wrote the following letter and gave it to Alex this week. I thought you might like to read it, too.

DEAR ALEX,

What is this I hear about you graduating high school? I could have sworn that someone told me you were a senior in high school and were graduating this week. But that’s silly. There must be some mistake.

See, you are just a baby. You love your swing, Ernie from Sesame Street, and your older sister, Julie (duh). Soon you will develop a few motor skills and begin arranging your toys: gummy bears and matchbox cars sorted by color (your favorite being “lellow”). You will start using words like “definitely” way before you’re old enough to know four-syllable words. I will be proud to be the sister of such a smart kid. You’re still just a baby!

Or maybe you are still 6 years old. You’re a stout, silly little guy with bright blond curls. Just last week I dressed you up in high heels, a green nightie, a poofy hair bow, and took pictures for future blackmail. You love Barney and Friends, and will soon start watching the Power Rangers movie more times than any human being really ought to.

Or, okay, maybe you’re a little older than that. Maybe you’re a tween. You are obsessed with Pokemon – movies, drawings, you name it. Yu-Gi-Oh is all right too. In a little while, you’ll be admitted into Hickory Grove Christian School for high school. You’ll start staying up late on the internet, playing lots of video games, and hanging out with friends. You’ll become an amazing writer, an excited reader, and an all-around brilliant guy. You’ll be a 9th grader. Suddenly a 10th grader. Maybe even an 11th grader. Maybe you’ll even go to your senior prom.

But graduating? You cannot be graduating. Except . . . you are. In just two days time, you’ll walk across the stage and get your high school diploma. I never thought this day would come (and no, not because I thought you’d flunk out of high school).

Nevertheless, since this day is undeniably upon us, there are a couple of things I want to say. First off, I’m so proud of what a smart kid you are; I hope you’ll continue being an amazing writer and reader. Second, and more importantly, you’re a compassionate kid. Third, you have an amazing personality and amazing character. I expect you to do incredible things at N.C. State next year (GO WOLFPACK!) and beyond. Fourth, and most importantly, I love you and always will.

Oh, and fifth, sorry about that poofy hair bow.

Love, your big sister,
Julie

In addition to a boring ol’ letter, Alex will get a nice slab of this Caramel Fudge Brownie Cheesecake on Sunday. This was inspired by my Coffee Cookie Dough Cheesecake, and I love it just as much! While making this cheesecake certainly does require time and energy, it’s a relatively straightforward recipe and is perfect for a special occasion. The multistep procedure produces a thick layer of rich brownie drowning in gooey, buttery-tasting caramel sauce, all on top of creamy cheesecake. It also boasts an oreo crust and decadent ganache.

I think Alex will approve.


Tell me about your graduates! Anyone have a loved one in the Class of 2010?

Caramel Fudge Brownie Cheesecake


Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking, using cheesecake adapted from Bon Appétit, caramel adapted from Martha Stewart, and brownies adapted from a post on Simply Recipes
Yields: one 9-inch cheesecake

Crust Ingredients:
32 chocolate sandwich cookies, finely processed into crumbs
5 1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Small pinch of salt

Ganache Ingredients*:
1½ cups heavy cream
20 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (I used 3/4 semisweet and 1/4 bittersweet)

Filling Ingredients:
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs

Caramel Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/8 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of coarse salt

Brownie Ingredients:
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
½ teaspoon coffee granules (I added this small amount to impart a richness without a pronounced coffee flavor)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cold large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:
Make the caramel: Prepare an ice-water bath. Heat sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until mixture boils and sugar dissolves, washing down sides of pan often with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until sugar turns dark amber (about 345 degrees on a candy thermometer), 5 to 7 minutes more. Immediately remove from heat, and carefully whisk in 1/2 cup cream. Return to medium heat, and cook until sugar melts completely and mixture boils. Remove from heat, and pour into a bowl set in ice-water bath. Let caramel cool, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Stir in creme fraiche, vanilla, and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 5 days.

Make the brownie layer: Preheat oven to 325°F with rack positioned in the lower third of the oven. Line the bottom and the sides of an 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides to make it easier to lift the brownies out of the pan when they are done.

Combine the butter, cocoa, sugar, coffee granules, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl. Set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir the butter cocoa mixture from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in the vanilla extract. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring quickly after each one. When the batter looks shiny, thick, and well mixed, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon. Spread the batter evenly in the lined pan (I used most of the batter, but poured a bit in a separate dish to bake, since I wanted to make my brownie layer a certain thickness – just use your judgment).

Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out just slightly moist with batter, about 25 minutes. Let the brownies cool completely on a rack and then freeze. When ready to use, lift up the ends of the foil or parchment paper liner, and peel foil away.

Make the cheesecake: To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and place it on a baking sheet. Combine the chocolate cookie crumbs, melted butter and salt in a small bowl. Toss with a fork to moisten all of the crumbs. Press into a thin layer covering the bottom and sides of the springform pan (at least 3 inches up the sides).

Bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Once the cream reaches a simmer, pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand 1-2 minutes. Whisk in small circles until a smooth ganache has formed. Pour 1 – 1.5 cups of the ganache over the bottom of the crust. Freeze until the ganache layer is firm, about 30 minutes. Reserve the remaining ganache; cover and let stand at room temperature for later decorating.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until well blended. Beat in the flour. Add in the vanilla and beat until well incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each addition.

Pour the filling over the cold ganache in the crust. Place the springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the top is lightly browned, puffed and cracked at the edges, and the center moves only very slightly when the pan is lightly shaken, about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire cooling rack. Cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator and let cool at least 3 hours, until completely chilled and set.

Assemble the cheesecake: Wrap a warm towel around the outside of the springform pan to help loosen the crust from the sides. Carefully remove the springform. Transfer the cake to a serving platter. Spread a thin layer of caramel over cheesecake to adhere the brownie layer. Place brownie layer on top of cheesecake (right side up). My brownie layer was almost cup-shaped since the middle didn’t rise as much as the sides, so I poured the rest of my caramel into the concave area and spread it gently (to avoid disturbing the delicate top of the brownies). Place the reserved ganache in a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip and use to garnish the top of the cake as desired. Chill until the ganache is completely firm, at least 6 hours.

*NOTE: This recipe makes extra ganache. I usually just make it and save the rest for truffles, but feel free to make about 3/4 of this recipe if you’d rather not have leftovers.

P.S. — Sorry for picking your flowers, Mom, but aren’t they pretty?

P.S. 2 — A serving suggestion for those that want to make this dessert extra-ridiculous: instead of serving with regular whipped cream, whip up some caramel cream.

P.S. 3 — (Am I starting to sound like the evolution of a gaming console?) My talented sister, Laura, wrote a song for Alex’s graduation. It’s called “Alarm of the Freshman,” it’s sung to the tune of “Eye of the Tiger,” and the video I shot of her singing it would be perfect blackmail material, if she had any shame. Love you, Laura! Enjoy, y’all:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tXOCUFGjGo&hl=en_US&fs=1&]


Share Share this post with friends!

by | 71 Comments
other

Caramel Cream Croquembouche

This month’s Daring Bakers challenge was spectacular, at least in part because I felt like a cross between Indiana Jones and MacGyver at various points in the process. Minus the archaeological skillz and/or mullet.

Picture this: a flaming-hot, caramel-dipped cream puff goes flying out of my hands. I instinctively reach up to stop its trajectory across my kitchen, only to be reminded angrily by my neurons that burning sugar is HOOOOTTTTTT (imagine this being screamed in the highest-pitched neuronal voice you can conjure up). I bat the cream puff into the sink (with some panache, I like to think) and plunge my fingers into the nearby bowl of ice water, saving my skin by mere milliseconds. Adrenaline-pumpin’ music plays in the background as I do a double backflip out of the kitchen for a bandaid. Okay, I made that whole last part up. I’m a pretty horrid gymnast.

There were several flyin’ flamin’ cream puffs, though. Which would make a good band name, if you’re in the market for one. Seriously, hot sugar, architecture, and time sensitivity put the “daring” in this Daring Bakers challenge, thus providing me with a comeback for Facebook friends who scoff at my daring baking status updates:

Okay, that last part might not help my case.

Anyway, I bet you’re dying to know . . . what exactly is this scary beast of an edible sculpture? The May 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Cat of Little Miss Cupcake. Cat challenged everyone to make a piece montée, or croquembouche, based on recipes from Peter Kump’s Baking School in Manhattan and Nick Malgieri.

Croquembouche is literally translated, “crunch in mouth,” and incidentally, is a fun word to sing in various overly-dramatic ways while you cook. Besides being a pretty cool word, it’s a pretty cool party trick. You bake up some buttery, light, delectable puff shells that are naturally hollow (so convenient). You resist eating too many of these straight from the oven, let them cool, and stuff them plumb full of light, blissful caramel cream. You then use a hard caramel glaze as mortar to build them into a lovely cone, from which your guests can gingerly pluck their dessert.

This particular combination — the caramel cream and caramel glaze — was heavenly, especially the cream. I’m having fits wanting to stuff the caramel cream into all sorts of confections — cupcakes, tarts, other pastries, my mouth with a spoon. It has a buttery, silky caramel flavor.

As for the caramel glaze, I’m downright torn as to whether to recommend it to you or not. On one hand, it became very brittle and, as it cooled, left a thicker and thicker layer on the puffs I was dipping. This was fine, except that when it hardened, it was sometimes sharp to bite into.

On the other hand, as I ate over half of this croquembouche all by my lonesome (did I just admit that?), I fell in love with the incredible deliciousness of it. And though you can use melted chocolate to assemble your ‘bouche, I have a feeling this caramel was a much better mortar. It hardened in mere seconds and kept the puffs nearly immobile, creating a sound structure. So, I’m tempted to say . . . just make it and chew carefully? Is that weird? Feel free to substitute if you’re a cautious eater.

The cream puffs with a thin coating of caramel did have a pleasant crunch instead of sharp shards, so another tip is to dip puffs very quickly while your caramel is fluid and the excess can drain off. Then, instead of reheating the caramel if it gets thick (which wasn’t that effective for me), I might make a new batch. You could work in half-batches of caramel to reduce waste.

Don’t be nervous because this recipe seems fussy. The actual cream puffs and tower were surprisingly simple to create, and if you have trouble with caramel, the addition of sugar temperatures in the recipe below should help. Activate your inner-architect/daredevil, impress your friends, and enjoy your scrumptious structure!

Caramel Cream Croquembouche


Recipe by: Adapted from Peter Kump, Nick Malgieri (puffs), and Martha Stewart (caramel cream and glaze)
Yields: a tower of about 51 puffs

Pâte à Choux (Puffs) Ingredients:
1 1/8 cups water
9 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/8 teaspoons salt
1.5 tablespoons sugar
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
6 large eggs
Egg wash (1 egg yolk and 1/2 cup heavy cream, lightly beaten)

Caramel Cream Filling Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
1/8 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of coarse salt

Caramel Glaze Ingredients:*
2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
white chocolate bark for decorating (optional)

Directions: Make the caramel cream at least a few hours ahead of time to give it a chance to chill before its final step (I made mine 3 days in advance). Prepare an ice-water bath. Heat sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until mixture boils and sugar dissolves, washing down sides of pan often with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until sugar turns dark amber (about 345 degrees on a candy thermometer), 5 to 7 minutes more. Immediately remove from heat, and carefully whisk in 1/2 cup cream. Return to medium heat, and cook until sugar melts completely and mixture boils.

Remove from heat, and pour into a bowl set in ice-water bath. Let caramel cool, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Stir in creme fraiche, vanilla, and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 5 days.

Just before you are ready to fill the cream puffs, beat remaining 1/2 cup cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into caramel sauce, using a rubber spatula, until incorporated. Whisk to thicken, about 1 minute.

Make the pâte à choux. Combine water, butter, salt and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally. At boil, remove from heat and sift in the flour, stirring to combine completely.

Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly until the batter dries slightly and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon 1 minute to cool slightly.

Add 1 egg. The batter will appear loose and shiny. As you stir, the batter will become dry-looking like lightly buttered mashed potatoes. It is at this point that you will add in the next egg. Repeat until you have incorporated all the eggs.

Pipe the batter using a pastry bag and a plain tip. Pipe choux about 1 inch-part in the baking sheets. Choux should be about 1 inch high about 1 inch wide. Using a clean finger dipped in hot water, gently press down on any tips that have formed on the top of choux when piping. You want them to retain their ball shape, but be smoothly curved on top. Brush tops with egg wash while trying not to drip the wash down the puffs onto the pan (which could somewhat inhibit rise).

Bake the choux at 425 degrees F until well-puffed and turning lightly golden in color, about 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking until well-colored and dry, about 20 minutes more. Remove to a rack and cool (tip from a pro: poke each puff with a toothpick while cooling to release the steam inside. It shouldn’t cause your cream to leak, but will help the puffs stay crisp). Can be stored in a airtight box overnight, but I recommend, if you aren’t using them right away to create your croquembouche, that you freeze them. When you’re ready to use them, bake them at 350 degrees F for 5-6 minutes to refresh and recrisp them. When puffs are cool, use a thin, plain tip to fill them generously with caramel cream.

Prepare the plate your croquembouche will be assembled on with wax paper around the edges to catch excess caramel. Set up your work area: two baking sheets covered in parchment for the caramel-covered puffs to dry on, an ice-water bath to stop the caramel from cooking and for any burnt fingers. Once you’re set up, you’re ready to begin assembly.

Make the caramel glaze: Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring all ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, washing down sides of pan often with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Cook, without stirring, until sugar dissolves, 5 to 6 minutes. Raise heat to high, and cook, swirling pan to color evenly, until syrup is amber (about 325 on a candy thermometer), about 5 minutes. Remove caramel from heat, and set bottom of pan in ice-water bath for a few seconds to stop the cooking. Use immediately, working as quickly as possible.*

Assembly: Dip top half of each filled puff into caramel (be careful not to burn your fingers), letting excess drip back into pan. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let stand until caramel is set.

Carefully dip bottom half of 1 puff into caramel, letting excess drip into pan. Transfer puff, hot caramel side down, to a serving platter. Repeat with more puffs, forming a connected ring as you work. Repeat with more puffs, layering rings to form a pyramid, using 45 or 50 puffs total. (If the caramel begins to harden, reheat briefly over low heat.)*

*Note: Reheating the caramel did not work so well for me, and even qorking quickly wasn’t quickly enough — and as mentioned above, when the caramel cools, it settles thickly on the puff and can become a brittle hazard. Thus, you may want to make a half batch of the caramel at a time, starting over if your caramel gets cool/thick, so that you can ensure a thin coating on each puff.


Enjoy!

P.S. Don’t forget to go see the stupendous structures of other Daring Bakers!


Share Share this post with friends!

by | 41 Comments
other

Eggs in a French Toast Basket

This is the first of two quick, easy, delectable breakfasts that I hope you’ll add to your menu for the coming weekend. Remember how I’m trying to avoid kitchen waste? This recipe dawned on me while driving to church last Sunday, and I didn’t have to buy a single thing to make it. An overabundance of eggs and some gifted honey wheat bread were a perfect breakfast foundation, to which I only added a few spices and things I had camping out in the fridge. Et voilà: Eggs in a French Toast Basket.

Or Moon Eggs, or Cowboy Eggs, or Camp Eggs, or any of the other weirdo names Wikipedia suggests are used for this concoction. Anyway, this is not your average version of this recipe. Toast is great and all, but as I was driving, I was thinking, Wouldn’t it be nice to spruce up the toast a bit? Maybe with that fantastic Alton Brown French toast recipe?

Oh, and it was nice — very nice! Mike and I love this crisp French toast recipe, and the included egg really bumped it up a notch. There is a slight issue; namely, French toast needs longer to cook overall than the egg, so the egg did get more done than usual (the yolk wasn’t hard, but wasn’t nice and gooey either). This is just one of those recipes where you fiddle with the timing after you cook your first slice to see how things go. For instance, you might start the French toast and wait a minute or so before adding the egg to achieve a softer yolk.

Nevertheless, Mike and I were over the moon (over the moon eggs, perhaps?) for this breakfast (or brunch, really, or maybe even lunch, since we ate ours after noon!). The sweet, rich French toast and the savory, salty egg were an out-of-this-world combination when hosed down with a bit of butter and some maple syrup.


Don’t forget the bacon.

If you haven’t let yourself sit back and enjoy a nice breakfast lately, here’s your inspiration! Happy breakfasting!

Eggs in a French Toast Basket


Recipe By: Willow Bird Baking, using Alton Brown‘s French toast as a basis.
Yields: 8 pieces; about 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup half-and-half
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons honey, warmed in microwave for 20 seconds
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 (1/2-inch) slices day-old or stale country loaf, brioche or challah bread (I used homemade honey wheat bread I received as a gift)
4 tablespoons butter
8 eggs for the baskets (I only used 4 eggs and made the other pieces plain French toast)

Directions:
In medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, 3 eggs, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. You may do this the night before. When ready to cook, pour custard mixture into a pie pan and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut a hole out of each bread slice using a cookie cutter. Dip bread into mixture, allow to soak for 30 seconds on each side, and then remove to a cooling rack that is sitting in a sheet pan, and allow to sit for 1 to 2 minutes.

Over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch nonstick saute pan. Place 2 slices of bread at a time into the pan, breaking an egg into each slice’s hole. Carefully salt and pepper just the egg. Cook approximately 2 to 3 minutes on the first side, until the bread is golden brown on the bottom. Carefully flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes on the remaining side. Remove from pan and place on rack in oven for a few minutes. Repeat with all 8 slices. Serve immediately with butter and maple syrup.

P.S. Byrd Update: Byrd is doing well. I’ve been icing her little knees and keeping up with her pain medication, which she hates. She’ll get her stitches out on Tuesday, June 1, but still can’t run or play until July. Difficult for such a rambunctious critter. Thank you so much for your support!


Share Share this post with friends!

by | 23 Comments
cakes

Lemon Raspberry Cake

Willow Bird Baking is the namesake of my darling little noodle (read: poodle), Byrd. As I sit here writing this post (and listening to the cooing of mourning doves outside my window), she is at the veterinary hospital recovering from a double knee surgery. Judging by her exuberance about riding in the car yesterday morning, she wasn’t really expecting it.

Apparently both her little kneecaps were popping out of place, and she couldn’t do some of her favorite things (fetching, jumping) without limping. Poor puppy pumpkin. The vet tech just called and said she is standing, but won’t try to walk, and won’t eat a thing. No wonder, since she’s in a strange place without her mama. We go pick her up at 12:30 today, so keep us in your prayers.


Get it? It’s decorated to look like a lemon.

Because of this unexpected $2,400 surgery, my finances have not been my friends lately. I’ve been cutting back: we haven’t been eating out, I’ve been trimming my grocery budget, and the last time I got my hair cut or colored was last August — I’m about ready to pick up some scissors myself. In addition to limiting my spending, another issue needed to be addressed: waste!

I’ve been a bad steward of my kitchen for too long. Buying a bag of cheese with the best intentions, but letting it mold. Buying a bag of fresh herbs, using them once, and letting them brown in the back of my fridge. Buying expensive ingredients (hello, pancetta, I’m talking to you) with the intention of using every last hunk, only to open my fridge drawer a month later and guiltily remember that broken resolution.

So, I’ve been trying to be better. Leftover creams, frostings, and doughs from one pastry become the basis for the next. I survey the fridge for unused ingredients before deciding what to make for Saturday dinner. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than it was!

This past weekend, leftover raspberry curd, nine egg whites left from making the curds, and some extra lemons provided my inspiration.

After buying only some butter, some fresh raspberries, and some white chocolate bark, I whipped up this cool, bright, summer dessert: Lemon Raspberry Cake. The cake itself is my favorite white cake recipe because it’s moist with the perfect crumb. Each layer is brushed with lemon syrup for moisture and tang before being coated in a luxurious raspberry curd. The frosting is rich and decadent, and even the white chocolate decorations added a nice dimension to the overall flavor of each slice.

My “lemon” decoration broke as I was trying to release it from the wax paper I piped it on, so I pieced it together on top of the cake. It’s a little crooked! I’m sure you can do better. I also completely forgot the poppy seed until I made the third cake layer (I mixed it separately), so you’ll notice that only my middle layer has the seeds. Oh well! Crooked citrus or not, seeds or not, we all loved the refreshing taste of this layer cake! Happy eating!

Lemon Raspberry Cake


Recipe by: compiled from adaptations of The Way the Cookie Crumbles (white cake), Notes from my Food Diary (frosting and raspberry curd), Bon Appétit (lemon syrup)
Yields: 12 servings

Cake Ingredients:
3 3/8 cups cake flour, plus more for dusting the pans
1 1/2 cups + 3 tablespoons whole milk, at room temperature
9 large egg whites, at room temperature
3 teaspoons almond extract
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups + 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
18 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks and 2 tablespoons), softened but still cool
1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seed (optional)

Lemon Syrup Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup boiling water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Raspberry Curd Filling Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
Two 1/2-pints ripe raspberries or one 12-ounce package frozen raspberries, thawed
5 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Lemon Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (I opted for a teaspoon or two of lemon extract instead)
3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions: Make raspberry curd: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the raspberries, egg yolks, sugar, and salt and cook, mashing the berries and stirring frequently at first and them constantly at the end, until thickened, about 10 minutes (this took longer for me — about 15+). Pour this mixture through a coarse strainer, pressing to get out the maximum amount of liquid. Add in lemon juice to taste. Allow this to cool and then cover (with plastic wrap touching surface of curd to prevent skin from forming) and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Cake: Set oven rack in middle position. (If oven is too small to cook both layers on a single rack, set racks in upper-middle and lower-middle positions.) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray three 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray; line the bottoms with parchment or waxed paper rounds. Spray the paper rounds, dust the pans with flour, and invert pans and rap sharply to remove excess flour. (I brush my pans with Wilton’s cake release, then add the parchment circle and brush again. Be sure the parchment circles reach to the edges of your pan to ensure easily release).

Pour milk, egg whites, and extracts into 2-cup glass measure, and mix with fork until blended.

Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, poppy seed, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed. Add butter; continue beating at slow speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining.

Add all but ½ cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using handheld mixer) for 1½ minutes. Add remaining ½ cup of milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium (or high) speed and beat 20 seconds longer.

Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans; using rubber spatula, spread batter to pan walls and smooth tops. Arrange pans at least 3 inches from the oven walls and 3 inches apart. (If oven is small, place pans on separate racks in staggered fashion to allow for air circulation.) Bake until thin skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes.

Let cakes rest in pans for 3 minutes. Loosen from sides of pans with a knife, if necessary, and invert onto wire racks. Reinvert onto additional wire racks. Let cool completely, about 1½ hours.

Make lemon syrup: Place sugar in small metal bowl. Add 1/2 cup boiling water; stir to dissolve sugar. Stir in lemon juice.

Make frosting: Beat the butter and zest with an electric mixer on medium speed in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the lemon juice and beat for 1 minute longer.

Assemble the cake: I love Smitten Kitchen’s Layer Cake Tips — especially the one about freezing your layers before working with them. It makes it so much easier.

When cakes are completely cool, level each layer using a long, serrated knife. Use a little frosting to attach your bottom layer to a cake board or serving platter. Brush layer generously with lemon syrup. Spread a scant 1/2 cup raspberry curd on the layer (I may have used a little more). Continue building the layers this way, with syrup and curd, until all three layers are stacked. Frost with lemon buttercream frosting. I used white chocolate to create decorations for the sides and top of my cake. Cut into wedges and serve with fresh raspberries. Store in refrigerator.


Enjoy!


Share Share this post with friends!

by | 46 Comments

1 … 108 109 110 111 112 … 127