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Very Vanilla French Toast Bake with Butter Pecan Topping

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I received a bottle of Nielsen Massey Pure Vanilla Bean Paste. With it I created very vanilla french toast bake with butter pecan topping. All opinions are my own.

Very vanilla French toast bake with butter pecan topping is perfect for when company comes.

 

In all honesty, I have never before used vanilla bean paste. It’s been a long time since I’ve even used a vanilla bean. I tend to stick with pure vanilla extract, and none of that imitation stuff. So when I was given the chance to work with Nielsen Massey Pure Vanilla Bean Paste, I jumped at the opportunity. I love making overnight breakfast dishes, including my overnight nutty coffee cake.  I had a loaf of french bread I needed to use so this very vanilla french toast bake with butter pecan topping came to life.

 

Nielsen Massey Pure Vanilla Bean Paste adds a richness to any recipe.

A Few Thoughts About Nielsen Massey Pure Vanilla Bean Paste

  1. It’s thick. Very thick. Just looking at it you may think you should use less than if  you were using pure vanilla extract. Not so. You can substitute pure vanilla bean paste for vanilla extract at a 1 to 1 ratio. Meaning if your recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of extract, you would use 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste.
  2. I would consider this more of a syrup than a paste. The consistency has a bit of a flow whereas I when I think of a paste I think more of a solid rather than liquid.
  3. The aroma is intoxicating, in a delicious way. There are so many ways to use ingredient. Add it to milkshakes, smoothies, baked good, even your morning coffee.
  4. Pure vanilla bean paste is not as intimidating to work with as I originally thought. Find out for yourself and enter to win a bottle at the bottom of this post.

 

Overnight company will appreciate waking up to Very Vanilla French Toast Bake with Butter Pecan Topping.

 

My family thoroughly enjoyed this breakfast dish. It would be absolutely perfect for any holiday or when overnight guests come to visit. It’s best made with day old bread and a loaf of French or Cuban bread would is ideal. While dinner cooks, whip up this dish and place in the refrigerator until morning when you are ready to bake. Be sure to let the butter for the topping soften on the counter overnight. If you really wanted to, you could whip up the topping in advance as well but it does need to be softened to spread on top of the bread before baking. Is this the healthiest dish for you? No, not at all, but we all need a little indulgence once in a while.

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Very Vanilla French Toast Bake with Butter Pecan Topping

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 6 servings

Very Vanilla French Toast Bake with Butter Pecan Topping

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
  • 8 large eggs
  • 2 cups half-and-half
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massye Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
  • Butter Pecan Topping
  • 1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
  • Maple syrup, if desired for serving
  • Powdered sugar for dusting.

Instructions

  1. Slice French bread into 1-inch each. Arrange slices in a buttered 9 by 12-inch baking dish in 2 rows, fitting the slices as best as you can.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar and Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are soaked evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
  3. The next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove casserole from the refrigerator and allow to warm up a bit before putting into the oven.
  4. Prepare Butter Pecan Topping:
  5. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well.
  6. Spread Butter Pecan Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 - 50 minutes, until puffed and golden.
  7. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve with maple syrup, if desired.

Notes

Inactive time is overnight or about 6 to 8 hours.

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Shared at Weekend Potluck

 

Very vanilla French toast bake with butter pecan topping is made the day before the and baked off in the morning.

 

 

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Dried Cherry and Almond Scones

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Dried cherry almond scones are a delicious addition to a brunch table.Can you believe it’s almost Easter? Already! These dried cherry and almond scones would be an easy and delicious addition to your brunch table.

Although I have other scone recipes on the blog, this recipe is actually the first one I ever made. I was never really a scone fan until I made this recipe. This recipe is a bit more moist than a traditional scone recipe. I think that because they are more on the moist side they were a hit with my family. The almond drizzle really makes the scone. I’ve made these for friends on a few occasions and they have always been well received.

Typically scone recipes only make a few, about six or eight. If you’re thinking of serving them on a brunch buffet you may want to consider offering a selection. Apple cinnamon scones with salted caramel drizzle and strawberry scones with lemon glaze would also be nice to offer guests. If you wind up with leftovers, they are easily warmed in a low oven. I’m sure you could warm them in a microwave but that’s not my preferred way.

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Dried Cherry and Almond Scones

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 8 wedges

Dried Cherry and Almond Scones

Ingredients

  • ½ cup dried cherries
  • About 1 cup boiling water
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ cup butter, cut into cubes
  • 1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel, or zest
  • 1 egg yolk, beaten
  • 1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds, for topping
  • For the glaze:
  • 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk, plus extra
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Coarsely chop the cherries, then place in a small bowl. Pour enough boiling water over dried cherries to cover. Let stand for 5 minutes, then drain water well.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add drained cherries and orange zest, tossing to coat. Make a well in the center and set aside. In another small mixing bowl, combine the egg yolk and sour cream. Add mixture all at once to dry ingredients. Using a fork, stir until combined. Mixture may seem dry.
  4. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Quickly knead dough by folding and gently pressing for 10 to 12 strokes or until dough is nearly smooth. Pat or lightly roll dough into a 7-inch circle. Cut into 8 to 12 wedges. Arrange wedges 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Top each wedge with sliced almonds, gently pressing into the dough.
  5. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, or until light brown. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
  6. Make the glaze: Combine all glaze ingredients. Stir in enough additional orange juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until glaze is drizzling consistency.
  7. Drizzle warm scones with almond glaze. Serve warm.
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Easter Week Recipes

Friday Easter Week Recipes

Dried cherry and almond scones are a delicious addition to a brunch table.

Individual Warm Chocolate Truffle Cakes

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Individual warm chocolate truffle cakes are perfect for any occasion.I love individual desserts for a few reasons. First, it’s always fun to get your very own dessert. Second, it’s portion control and third, there are no tempting leftovers. These individual warm chocolate truffle cakes are rich and delicious but not too heavy to indulge in after a meal. That makes them ideal for dessert after a holiday meal like Easter.

These individual warm chocolate truffle cakes are really a chocolate lover’s dream come true and if you like truffles, you will definitely enjoy this dessert. It’s a fairly dense cake but moist with a melt in your mouth texture.

Make this dessert not only for Easter, but it’s perfect for Valentine’s Day, Mother’ Day or a small birthday celebration. I just lightly dusted them with confectioners’ sugar but you could top them them with fresh berries and whipped cream was well.

Other recipes on the blog with individual servings include this delicious apple crisp, these chicken pot pies, swiss and asparagus tarts, and individual skillet chocolate chip cookies.

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Individual Warm Chocolate Truffle Cakes

Prep Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours

Yield: 4 individual servings

Individual Warm Chocolate Truffle Cakes

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, plus more for dusting
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Instructions

  1. In a small saucepan combine chocolate and butter over medium-low heat. Cook until melted, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
  2. In a medium bowl combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together eggs, yolks and vanilla.
  3. Add egg mixture to sugar mixture whisking to combine.
  4. Stir chocolate mixture into egg mixture. Refrigerate mixture 2 hours.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 4 (6 ounce) ramekins with nonstick cooking spray, dust with sugar. Spoon approximately 1/2 cup batter into each ramekin.
  6. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before dusting with confectioners' sugar.
  7. Serve immediately.
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Easter Week Recipes

Wednesday Easter Week Recipes


Individual warm chocolate truffle cakes are perfect for any occasion.

Italian Cream Cake with Nutty Cream Cheese Frosting

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Italian Cream Cake is a delicious dessert.This post has great timing. I’ve made an Italian Cream Cake to celebrate Italian day, which is a part of my heritage. My maternal grandparents were from Italy and I recently got my DNA results from 23&Me. Those results confirmed my Italian heritage of which I am very proud. I often try to weave all things Italian into family gatherings. This cake being the most recent contribution.

When looking for something to make I once again turned to my Mom’s recipes. I already have some Italian recipes on the blog like baked ziti and Grandma’s Italian meatball sub so I wanted something sweet. In her recipe book here was this cake. I’ve had Italian cream cake before and loved it.

The history of this cake is a bit muddied. I’ve read where it was made by an Italian baker living in the southern United States. It’s also called Italian wedding cake and it’s made for special occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries. One thing is for sure coconut and pecans are a part of every recipe I’ve found. As is buttermilk. My Mom’s cake uses part butter and part shortening. The crumb is delicate and delicious. I’ll be honest, I was skeptical of the shortening butter combo but my husband said it’s the best cake I’ve ever made and I’ve made a lot of cakes! He’s even asked for it for his birthday cake which isn’t until October.

Feel free to decorate the cake with pecans any way you wish. I used what are called minis because I had purchased them on our last trip through Georgia. Use chopped pieces and press them into the side of the cake. You could even stir the small pieces into the frosting and decorate with pecan halves around the top. Use your imagination.

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Italian Cream Cake with Nutty Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Italian Cream Cake with Nutty Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup shortening (I used Crisco)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 5 large eggs, separated
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup flaked coconut
  • Nutty Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
  • Pecans for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 9-inch cake pans. Set aside.
  2. Beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, one at a time beating until blended after each addition. Add vanilla and incorporate.
  3. Combine flour and baking soda; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in coconut.
  4. In separate mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks for and fold into batter.
  5. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
  6. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely before frosting with Nutty Cream Cheese Frosting.
  7. To make frosting:
  8. Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add confectioners' sugar in stages, beating well, on low speed, after each addition, until blended. Beat frosting at high speed until smooth.

Notes

If desired, stir 1 cup chopped pecans into frosting before icing cake.

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Italian Food

Shared at Weekend Potluck  and Meal Plan Monday

talian Cream Cake, also known as Italian Wedding Cake, is perfect for any special occasion.

Rosemary Roasted Cornish Hens

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Rosemary rosted cornish hens are perfect for any special occasion.I received a selection of Geyser Peak wines to create a wine pairing recipe. All opinions are honest and my own.

It is my humble opinion that Cornish hens are under rated and under used. Growing up, my Mom made Cornish hens on a fairly regular basis. Then for years I kind of forgot about them, having them every now and then but it is just one of those meals that always seem to be saved for a special occasion.

Then kids came along and once while, at the grocery, I saw Cornish hens. I thought my kids would like them since they love chicken. Well, they were a hit and I started serving them more frequently. When thinking about how to pair the Geyser Peak wines I knew I wanted to use their 2016 River Ranches Sauvignon Blanc. After tasting the intense fruit and citrus notes I knew it would compliment a Cornish hen meal. But how to prepare the hens?

Rosemary roasted cornish hens and vegetables ready for the oven.My garden is overflowing with fresh rosemary so I knew that had to be involved. Because the hens are so small, as opposed to a larger whole chicken, they need to be treated delicately. I didn’t want to overpower with flavor. I melted butter with rosemary to infuse it and once everything was prepared and in the pan, I poured it over the hens first and then the vegetables.

So, let me tell you about Geyser Peak wines and winery. Many years ago, before kids, my husband and I would visit California wine country often, through our business. My kids are now teenagers but many years ago I had the privilege of visiting Geyser Peak. If you’ve ever been to wine country, Napa and Sonoma are very different. I would say that Sonoma is the more relaxed part of that area. Wineries are farther apart, making it seem less commercial. Both are absolutely beautiful, with great wineries and restaurants to visit. Geyser Peak offers a range of wines for any palate. In addition to the Sauvignon Blanc, they also have a sparkling brut, appelation reds and whites, along with reserves for the familiar varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay. What is truly special about Geyser Peak is they also produce lesser known varietals such as Petit Verdot, a late harvest Sauvignon Blanc, a rose of Cab Franc and an old vine Zinfandel. They also produce a nice variety of blends such as Meritage in addition to a couple of red blends.

Well, this dish was a total hit with the family and my husband and thought it was a great pairing with the Geyser Peak 2016 River Ranches Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley. This wine has classic Sauvignon Blanc notes with a lot of fruit on the nose and palate but a nice smooth finish. It’s light and easy to drink and would be delicious for a summer gathering.

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Rosemary Roasted Cornish Hens

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Rosemary Roasted Cornish Hens

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter
  • 2 springs fresh rosemary
  • 8 carrot, peeled and evenly chopped
  • 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • 5 baking potatoes, cut into 1 - 2 inch slices
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 4 cornish hens, thawed, rinsed and patted dry
  • Salt and Pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
  2. In a medium saucepan melt butter with rosemary springs. Remove from heat once melted.
  3. Tie the legs together with kitchen string.
  4. Spread out chopped vegetables and rosemary in the bottom of large baking dish.
  5. Place the hens on top of the bed of vegetables. Pour melted rosemary butter over each hen and vegetables.
  6. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until juices run clear.
  7. Let hens rest before eating.
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This month, Jill of L’Occasion , invited the members of the Wine Pairing Weekend on Facebook to bring attention to Sonoma County winemakers and join in the relief project known as #SonomaStrong. Like the post I did late last year in support of Hurricane Irma victims, my whipped Key lime pie,  should you be interested in helping with those devastated by the horrible fires in and around Sonoma, California you can make a donation through United Way Relief and Recovery Fund or the Napa Valley Community Association who is helping their winemaking neighbors. Thank you to Jill for organizing this important event.

Rosemary roasted Cornish hens are a nice change from the same old meals.

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Ellen Folkman and Family Around The Table 2010-2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of material contained within this blog, either photographs or written copy, without express and written permission from this blog's author (Ellen Folkman) and/or owner (Ellen Folkman) is strictly PROHIBITED. Excerpts and links may be used, provided full and clear credit is given to Ellen Folkman and Family Around The Table with appropriate and specific direction to the original content via a link. Please do not publish recipes in their entirety. Happy to share if you let me know you've used a link. If unauthorized content is found on the world wide web, owner of copyrights (Ellen Folkman and Family Around The Table) will take appropriate action under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

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