The Southfield Store Holiday French Toast Food

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• For the cinnamon smear: Cream the margarine and sugar in a large bowl. Add the flour, cinnamon and cocoa powder. Slowly add the oil and water. Mix for 15 minutes and let rest for 5 minutes.
• For the cinnamon raisin bread: Mix the flour, starter, water, granulated sugar, yeast, salt and oil in a large stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 15 minutes. Let rest.
• Portion the dough into 22-ounce balls. Flatten the dough and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mix and raisins. Roll the dough over itself 4 to 5 times and place in a greased bread pan. Cover the top and sides with the cinnamon smear. Proof the dough for 25 to 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bake for 46 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack. Slice into thick slices.
• For the maple mousse: Thoroughly blend the heavy cream, powdered sugar and maple syrup in a large bowl until well mixed.
• For the French toast batter: Thoroughly blend the eggs, milk, heavy cream, maple syrup, rum, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl until well mixed.
• For the Wrightsville Beach French toast: Soak the cinnamon raisin bread slices in the French toast batter until well saturated. Fry in a 350 degree F deep-fryer until golden brown, about 2 minutes (DO NOT OVER FRY).
• Cut the fried cinnamon raisin bread diagonally and shingle on a plate. Top with maple mousse. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and garnish with fresh berries.

THE SOUTHFIELD STORE HOLIDAY FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Whisk together the eggs and heavy cream in a large bowl and add the granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and orange zest and whisk again.
• Heat some clarified butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dip four slices of the Challah into the egg mixture until soaked through. Immediately place each slice onto the hot skillet. Fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side, and set aside. Repeat with the remaining 4 slices of bread.
• Cut each piece of French toast in half diagonally and plate four halves per serving. Top with Apple Cranberry Compote, a scoop of Pecan Compound Butter and a light drizzle of the Maple Syrup Reduction. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!
• Add the cranberries, orange juice, sugar, orange zest and apples to a large skillet and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until the apples are cooked as desired.
• Preheat the oven to 325 °F. Place the pecans on a cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, or until they become aromatic and heated through. Salt immediately while still hot. Allow the pecans cool completely.
• Once the pecans are completely cool, chop them up into small pieces and add to the butter, until incorporated. Set aside until ready to serve, or refrigerate.
• Place the maple syrup in a small saucepan and heat over low heat until reduced by one-half. Use sparingly to top off French toast.

DOWN ISLAND FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean. Add half of the scrapped beans to a mixing bowl with the liquor. Add 1/2 teaspoon ground mace, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and orange zest, and whisk together. Put the foie gras into the marinade and cover with plastic wrap. Slosh the marinade around a little and keep refrigerated. Add the remaining vanilla bean seeds in a mixing bowl, and add the eggs and half and half. Add the remaining mace and cinnamon and beat the mixture together. Soak the brioche slices in the egg mixture and allow them to absorb the flavor. Soaking time will depend on the freshness of the brioche; the softer it is, the shorter the soaking (sometimes 1 minute is sufficient). Keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to complete the dish. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Remove the foie gras from the marinade and cut the slices about 1/4-inch to 1/3-inch thick. Reserve on a chilled plate and discard almost all of the marinade. Remove the brioche from the egg wash and lay the slices on a plate. Heat the clarified butter in a nonstick skillet, add the bread, and cook over medium heat until golden on both sides. Transfer to a plate and keep warm in the oven. Reheat the caramel sauce and place 2 tablespoons on each of 4 warm serving plates. Heat a nonstick skillet or pan and when hot, sear the foie gras slices over high heat for 15 seconds on each side until seared and very dark. Place the foie gras on the brioche in layers: a slice of brioche on the bottom, a slice of foie gras, then brioche, another layer of foie gras, and topped with brioche. Serve with mixed tropical fruits and orange segments, if desired.

BANANA FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, whisk egg and milk. Open buns so they lie flat; dip both sides in the egg mixture. In a nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook buns for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Fill with banana slices. Drizzle with syrup.