Christmas Brunch

I love breakfast! Besides dessert it's my most favourite meal.  Christmas mornings tend to be a little rushed in our house, so an easy but filling breakfast is a must!  I was looking for a great overnight French toast recipe that I could just pop in the oven in the morning while we open gifts.  One of my best friends, who just happens to be an amazing cook, gave me this recipe.

It was my first time making it, but I didn't care so much as it was just for my family.  Then it turned out my little one's godparents were going to join us for breakfast, so I was a little nervous about serving a first time recipe.  But seeing as it was a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis, with some modifications from a very trusted friend, there was no way I could go wrong (I hoped!)

Overnight French Toast

Ingredients:
butter, for greasing
6 eggs
3 cups whole milk
3/4 cup maple syrup (plus extra for serving)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 lemon, zested
1 to 1-1/2 baguettes, cut into 1" cubes
3 apples, cored, peeled and chopped

Topping:
1 tbsp cinnamon
3 tbsp sugar

Directions:

1. Butter a 9x13" baking dish and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy.  Add the milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt and lemon zest.  Add the bread cubes and mix until coated.  Stir in the apple chunks.  Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

3. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight.

4. Preheat oven to 350F.

5. In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar for the topping.  Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the egg mixture in an even layer.

6. Bake for 45 - 55 minutes until the top is golden and the filling is set.

7. Spoon onto serving plates and drizzle with maple syrup (and more cinnamon sugar if you like!).


This recipe was a huge success!!  There was no leftovers and everyone went for seconds (and even thirds!).  With the whole rush of Christmas morning, I completely forgot to take a picture, but I will definitely be making this recipe again.

Photo of French Toast from Giada's recipe made with
blueberries and not left overnight.

Visiting a Friend with Baby #2

We are off to visit my oldest friend who just had a new baby.  We are so excited to meet her newest member.  Although I can't relate to having two, I can only imagine how exhausting it is to entertain guests when you have two under two running around.  That is why I am bringing lunch and dessert for our visit.

Both recipes that I chose come together pretty easily, but they need time to sit so they have to be made well in advance.  For lunch I made macaroni and cheese (the overnight edition) and for desert this lovely tart that I've been dying to make forever.

Overnight Mac & Cheese

Ingredients: 
4 cups whole milk
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1/8 cup butter, diced into small cubes
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated  (I like to mix the cheese that I use: this time I used medium orange cheddar and an aged white cheddar)
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Grease a 13x9" baking dish.  Spread half the pasta in the bottom of the dish.  Sprinkle with half of the cheese, dot with half of butter and sprinkle with half the salt.  Repeat the layers with the remaining pasta, remaining cheese, butter and salt.

2. Pour milk evenly over pasta, cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for about 24 hours.

3. Bake, covered with foil at 350F for 45-60 minutes.  Remove the foil during the final 15 minutes to allow the top to brown and get crispy.  (Sometimes I sprinkle some Parmesan cheese over the top when I remove the foil.)


Caramel-Swirl Double Chocolate Tart

Almond crust, cooling

Ingredients:

Crust:
2-1/4 cups almonds
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup butter, melted and cooled

Filling:
6 oz white chocolate, finely chopped
8 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup 35% whipping cream, divided

Dark chocolate filling

Caramel Sauce:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup 35% whipping cream
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 tbsp butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

Crust:
2. In a food processor, process the almonds, sugar and flour until the nuts are finely ground.  Pour in butter; process (or mix) until thoroughly moistened.  Pat nut mixture into the bottom of a 10" pie plate.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is lightly coloured.  Cool on rack.

White chocolate filling

Filling:

Caramel sauce simmering

3. Meanwhile place white chocolate in a bowl and dark chocolate in another bowl.  Bring cream to a boil in saucepan over medium heat.  Pour 1/3 cup of hot cream over white chocolate; pour remaining 2/3 cup hot cream over dark chocolate.  Whisk white chocolate mixture until smooth and the chocolate is melted.  Repeat with dark chocolate.  Let each cool for 10 minutes.  (At this point you can start making the caramel sauce in the same saucepan.)
4. Pour dark chocolate over cooled crust, spreading evenly.  Pour white chocolate over dark chocolate, tilting pan to evenly distribute.

Caramel Sauce:
5. In a saucepan combine all ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Drizzle caramel sauce over white chocolate in decorative pattern.
7.  Refrigerate for at least 8 hours.  Store in the refrigerator.

Assembled product without
the caramel sauce.

Ready to be refrigerated for 8 hours.