french toast

things have been so busy! we missed posting on our year blog anniversary - can't believe how quickly a year of posting went by and we really love all the new friends we've made. also want to wish the "pictures" of pictures & pancakes a happy belated birthday - we had a wonderful new york day wandering the city, enjoying a cup of Stumptown coffee at the new Ace Hotel, a lovely dinner here and cocktails here.

other than that, we've been on a little french toast kick . . . does two sunday mornings in a row qualify as a kick? i think so. there are some amazing bakeries in this city and i actually just worked on a bread cookbook (details to come) with two amazing women - photographer susie cushner and stylist randi brookman harris. baked my buns off (hee hee) for 5 days straight but fell in love with carbs again. french toast is such a quick easy treat - change the recipe to make it your own with different breads, spices and sauces and let me know what your new favorite combination is! we used this blueberry sauce which is also great on pancakes. enjoy!

Brioche French Toast

serves 2

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp orange zest

1/4 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

4 slices brioche loaf, 3/4-inch thick

confectioner's sugar & butter for garnish

in a baking dish, combine eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon and salt. place 2 slices of brioche in mixture and let sit for 2 minutes or until bread soaks up some of the liquid but is not soggy. turn over and heat a griddle over medium high heat. cook each slice for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown and crispy. repeat with remaining slices. serve with a light dusting of confectioner's sugar, softened butter and blueberry sauce.

dessert for breakfast

this morning we had dessert for breakfast. some people can't eat sweet syrupy things in the morning but i am blessed with that ability. i've always loved french toast and just recently started experimenting with stuffing it. the possibilities are endless but here's an indulgent chocolate filling to be eaten at any time of day. enjoy!

Chocolate Raspberry Stuffed French Toast

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

pinch salt

4 1-inch thick slices crusty bread

1 oz dark chocolate, finely chopped

3 tbs raspberry jam

2 tbs unsalted butter

3 tbs confectioner's sugar

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. in a shallow baking dish, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. with a pairing knife, carefully cut a small slit in bottom of each slice of bread to create a pocket. in a small bowl, combine chocolate and jam. spoon a small amount of filling into each slice of bread. soak slices in egg mixture for 3 minutes per side. heat butter in a large skillet and cook slices for 2-3 minutes per side until nicely browned. transfer to a baking sheet and heat in the oven for 5 minutes. to serve, cut each slice in half and dust with confectioner's sugar. top with fresh raspberries and maple syrup.