For father's day brunch, I decided to actually cook. Normally I don't do anything at family meals except make the salad, or help with dishes. I get intimidated by trying to cook for a lot of people. But with the right sous chef, I decided french toast should be pretty easy.
I purchased some Challah from Canter's on Friday night. That way, on Sunday it should be stale enough to become French toast. I really wanted brioche, but didn't know where to get some close to my apartment. Of course, while we were eating dinner at Canter's, my old neighbor pulls out a menu from Michel Richard that was crumpled in her purse, and of course they have brioche! Oh well. Canter's is walkable. And serves dinner.
I decided that I needed to add my own touch to the French toast, but what should it be? I decided on making a cinnamon butter and drizzling the French toast with it just before serving. I figured then people could eat it with or without syrup and it would be good either way.
As for the french toast recipe, I used Alton Brown's recipe, because I always trust him for good basic recipes. Of course, I know how to make French toast ... but I wanted something a little different and Alton Brown's recipe has slightly different ingredients and method than I am used to from "mom's" french toast. My husband claimed that he has some recipe for French toast, but if so, he was certainly never made it for me! I'll believe it when I see it, dear.
Once I got everything prepped, I got my mom and J. to form a sort of assembly line and we cranked out French toast. I threw the bread in the custard, then cooked two pieces on my skillet, while my mom cooked two on a griddle. Then J. would take the cooked pieces and throw them in the oven for five minutes. I would note the time and tell him when to take which pieces out. Then he would throw the done pieces on a platter and I would slather each layer of toast with melted cinnamon butter. And then ...... done!
I also made a fruit salad, which was less exciting, except to say that there was no melon in my fruit salad. Only bananas, berries and citrus fruit. Yum. Melons are good, but god, when every fruit salad you order is almost all melon and a few paltry pieces of other fruit, sometimes you need a rest!
To make the cinnamon butter, I threw a stick of butter at room temperature into a bowl with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 cup ground cinnamon. I mixed it all together with the electric mixer and then, when ready to pour on the toast, just melted it in the microwave.
The french toast was good, and not overpowered by the cinnamon butter, which just added a little richness and sweetness. My brother actually said it was the best french toast he had ever had. Awww. Except he would have liked it to be a little thicker. I agree ... Canter's sliced the bread for me because I'm lazy, but I should have done it myself for thicker slices.
I purchased some Challah from Canter's on Friday night. That way, on Sunday it should be stale enough to become French toast. I really wanted brioche, but didn't know where to get some close to my apartment. Of course, while we were eating dinner at Canter's, my old neighbor pulls out a menu from Michel Richard that was crumpled in her purse, and of course they have brioche! Oh well. Canter's is walkable. And serves dinner.
I decided that I needed to add my own touch to the French toast, but what should it be? I decided on making a cinnamon butter and drizzling the French toast with it just before serving. I figured then people could eat it with or without syrup and it would be good either way.
As for the french toast recipe, I used Alton Brown's recipe, because I always trust him for good basic recipes. Of course, I know how to make French toast ... but I wanted something a little different and Alton Brown's recipe has slightly different ingredients and method than I am used to from "mom's" french toast. My husband claimed that he has some recipe for French toast, but if so, he was certainly never made it for me! I'll believe it when I see it, dear.
Once I got everything prepped, I got my mom and J. to form a sort of assembly line and we cranked out French toast. I threw the bread in the custard, then cooked two pieces on my skillet, while my mom cooked two on a griddle. Then J. would take the cooked pieces and throw them in the oven for five minutes. I would note the time and tell him when to take which pieces out. Then he would throw the done pieces on a platter and I would slather each layer of toast with melted cinnamon butter. And then ...... done!
I also made a fruit salad, which was less exciting, except to say that there was no melon in my fruit salad. Only bananas, berries and citrus fruit. Yum. Melons are good, but god, when every fruit salad you order is almost all melon and a few paltry pieces of other fruit, sometimes you need a rest!
To make the cinnamon butter, I threw a stick of butter at room temperature into a bowl with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 cup ground cinnamon. I mixed it all together with the electric mixer and then, when ready to pour on the toast, just melted it in the microwave.
The french toast was good, and not overpowered by the cinnamon butter, which just added a little richness and sweetness. My brother actually said it was the best french toast he had ever had. Awww. Except he would have liked it to be a little thicker. I agree ... Canter's sliced the bread for me because I'm lazy, but I should have done it myself for thicker slices.
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Alton Brown is definitely one of my TV boyfriends.