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CHAPTER 1

FRENCH TOAST, PANCAKES, AND WAFFLES

When batter — or battered bread — meets a hot griddle, magic happens. French toast, pancakes, and waffles just scream "Sunday breakfast" to me, but, in truth, you can whip up most of these recipes anytime you want to make your family smile.

FRENCH TOAST

When I was growing up, French toast was one of the special treats in our house. Leave it to the French to come up with such a delicious way to use up day-old bread (they call it pain perdu, or "lost bread"). Plain old white bread will do in a pinch, but go for the egg-based challah or brioche and you'll see what a dream this breakfast was always meant to be.

French toast is so full of flavor that it really needs nothing more than a dusting of confectioners' sugar for serving. But don't let that stop you from adding maple syrup, fresh fruit, or whipped cream!

DON'T OVERSOAK

the bread or it will disintegrate before you can get it into the pan.

IT'S BETTER

to work with bread that's two or three days old. A slice that's too delicate will fall apart once battered.

START WITH

good-quality unsliced bread, then cut the loaf into 1- to 2-inch slices depending on your preference.

YOU CAN USE white or multigrain bread, but a brioche loaf or challah will be more luxurious.

DEPENDING ON

how hungry everyone is, one to two pieces of French toast (unstuffed) is a serving.

MY FAVORITE FRENCH TOAST

Just rich enough, and fragrantly laced with cinnamon, this is my idea of perfect French toast. This may seem like a lot of liquid, but the challah can soak up a lot, which means a lot more flavor, too.

Brioche or challah 1 loaf Milk 3 to 4 cups Eggs 6
Ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract 2 teaspoons Unsalted butter or vegetable oil 1 tablespoon

1. Place a large skillet on the stove over medium heat and preheat the oven to 275ºF to keep the finished French toast warm.

2. Cut the bread into 2-inch-thick slices. If you are making Stuffed French Toast use slices 2 inches thick and make a slit that goes halfway into the slice to create a pocket.

3. In a wide bowl or baking pan, whisk together the milk, eggs, cinnamon, and vanilla.

4. Soak each slice in the milk mixture for about 1 minute; 30 seconds per side. Don't oversaturate the bread or it will disintegrate in the pan.

5. Place the butter in the pan and let it coat the bottom to prevent the bread from sticking. Using 1 or 2 slices at a time, place the soaked bread in the pan and cook on one side for about 2 minutes.

6. Flip the toast using a metal spatula and cook on the opposite side. If you are making Stuffed French Toast, lift the top half of the pocket with a spatula, and spoon the stuffing into the pocket. Lightly pat down the top half of the bread over the stuffing.

7. Move the toast from the skillet to a heat-resistant plate in the preheated oven. Serve dusted with sugar or with maple syrup.

STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

Serve any of these variations and it's a sign that you're truly committed to creating magic. Slice the bread thick enough to provide a decent-size pocket. Each makes enough to generously fill 4 to 6 pieces of My Favorite French Toast.

Prepare My Favorite French Toast as directed on this page. After flipping it over, spoon some of one of the following stuffings into the pocket. To serve, carefully lift the Stuffed French Toast with a large spatula and slide it onto each plate.

CREAM CHEESE STUFFING

This filling will ooze out of the bread and spread across the plate in a deliciously messy way.

Cream cheese 4 ounces (½ cup)
Unsalted butter, softened 2 tablespoons
Granulated sugar 4 ounces (½ 2 cup)
Confectioners' sugar 3 tablespoons
Milk 2 tablespoons

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese and butter and beat on high speed for 30 seconds, then add the sugars and continue to beat until smooth and fluffy.

2. Reduce the speed to low and add in half of the milk. Beat on high speed until smooth. Add more milk as needed until the filling drizzles off a spoon.

APPLE CURLS

The combination of flavors is reminiscent of baked apples.

Apples (any crisp, firm variety) 2
Unsalted butter 2 tablespoons

1. Core the apples, but do not peel them. Cut them into quarters and then slice them wafer thin (use a mandoline if you have one).

2. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium to high heat. Add the apples and sauté until translucent.

PEACHES FOSTER STUFFING

There's just a hint of shiny in this stuffing — modeled on the sauce for Bananas Foster — since most of the alcohol cooks off in the skillet. If you prefer the traditional flavors, substitute two bananas for the peaches, and slice them into ½-inchthick rounds.

Peaches, ripe 2
Unsalted butter 2 ounces (½ stick)
Nutmeg, freshly ground 1 teaspoon
Dark rum 2 tablespoons (optional)

1. Remove the pits from the peaches and slice the fruit into ½-inch-thick wedges.

2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the peaches and sauté until soft; don't overcook or they'll get mushy. Add the nutmeg and rum, if using, just before removing from the heat.

FRENCH TOAST BREAD PUDDING

Don't let the opportunity to serve a wonderful breakfast pass just because you don't want to stand by the stove. Tear up the bread and bake everything at one time, and it's essentially a bread pudding. Serves a hungry group of 6.

1. Preheat the oven to 300ºF and place a rack in the middle. Following the proportions of the main recipe, tear the bread into 2-inch cubes and place them in a large bowl.

2. Add the milk, eggs, cinnamon, and vanilla and toss to combine. Fold in any of the Stuffed French Toast fillings, if you like, then mix in 1 cup superfine sugar and ¼ cup maple syrup.

3. Butter a deep 9-by-13 casserole dish and lightly sprinkle it with superfine sugar. Pour in the bread mixture and sprinkle turbinado sugar and cinnamon across the top. Bake until the pudding is set and the bread pieces don't jiggle, about 50 minutes.

POUND CAKE FRENCH TOAST

Bring this to the table and then stand back so you don't get crushed by the stampede! Grab a pound cake and try this — it'll knock you slap happy. Yes, cake for breakfast is outrageous, but I hear about it from a lot of people who come to CakeLove.

Refrigerate the pound cake ahead of time to make the slices good and firm before pan-frying. Turn them gently, because they become very fragile while bubbling in butter and oil. Maple syrup or jam pair well, but I couldn't believe how good this tasted with the Cream Cheese Drizzle.

Pound cake, very cold 1 loaf Milk 2 cups Eggs 3
Vanilla extract 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon Unsalted butter or vegetable oil up to ½ stick (¼ cup)

1. Place a large skillet on the stove over medium heat and preheat the oven to 275ºF to keep the finished French toast warm.

2. Cut the pound cake into 2-inch-thick slices.

3. In a large casserole dish, whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon.

4. Soak each slice of pound cake for about 20 seconds, without flipping, in the milk mixture. Avoid oversaturating or the slice will fall apart in the pan.

5. Place enough of the butter in the skillet to thoroughly coat the bottom to prevent sticking. Place the soaked cake slice in the pan and cook until firmed.

6. Flip using a thin metal offset spatula and cook on the opposite side until lightly browned and crisped on the edges.

7. Serve immediately or hold on a heat-resistant plate in the warmed oven. Top with Cream Cheese Drizzle, if desired.

PANCAKES

Griddle cakes, flapjacks, pancakes — no matter what they're called, they mean one thing to me — a morning party! Pancakes make me giddy. Just like most of you, I grew up eating pancakes from a boxed mix that doubled as a biscuit mix. I loved it at the time, but now all my pancakes are made from scratch, and I've found that flapjacks are a great way to enjoy the textures and flavors of whole grains such as wheat, corn, rye, millet, and flax.

DON'T FULLY COMBINE

the liquid ingredients into the flour mix — a few dry patches are ideal. Undermixing the batter keeps the pancakes light and airy.

LET THE BATTER REST

for a few minutes after you've mixed it. This gives the gluten a chance to develop, and your pancakes will rise even more while cooking.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT

to have the griddle at the right temp — hot enough to make you move your hand away if held there for about five seconds.

IN GENERAL,

pancakes are ready to flip when bubbles appear across the top surface, usually about three to four minutes in.

USE PLENTY OF BUTTER or vegetable oil, or a combination of both. Pancakes tend to stick, so make sure the pan is well greased and hot. The batter should sizzle when it hits the surface!

A ¼ -CUP MEASURE of batter should yield a pretty consistent 4-inch pancake. I use an old-fashioned ice-cream scoop with a trigger for easy portioning and to keep it nice and round.

TRADITIONAL PANCAKES

Yummy and delicious, these are the pancakes that come to mind when we think of the picture-perfect stack of flapjacks. When they're ready to flip, loads of bubbles form on top and the edges appear a bit drier. You can also check whether a pancake is ready to flip by lifting an edge to make sure it's a nice golden brown.

Milk 1 cup Fresh lemon juice ¼ cup Egg 1
Unbleached all-purpose flour 1 cup Sugar 3 tablespoons Baking powder 2¼ teaspoons Baking soda ½ teaspoon Salt pinch Butter or vegetable oil 1 tablespoon

1. Preheat the oven to 275ºF to keep the finished pancakes warm.

2. In a small bowl, combine the milk and lemon juice and set aside for 5 minutes to thicken. Add the egg, stirring it gently to break the yolk.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and gently whisk for 10 seconds to combine. Set aside.

4. Gently fold the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture, but don't fully combine. It's always better to undermix; dry patches are okay. Let the batter rest for about 5 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. When the surface is hot, add the butter or vegetable oil to coat.

6. Using a ¼-cup measure, drop 4 to 6 pancakes into the pan. Flip when bubbles appear, after 3 to 4 minutes.

7. Cook for another minute, then remove the pancakes to a heat-resistant plate in the warmed oven until ready to serve. Top with butter and maple syrup, as desired.

CHOCOLATE PANCAKES

This recipe debuted at a party where my wife and I introduced our baby to our neighbors and close friends. Some of our guests had lactose allergies, so I wanted to prepare something just for them. Light, fluffy, and delicious, these pancakes lend themselves to tasty variations that bring a distinctive edge to any breakfast. (I used a mildly bittersweet 58% cacao bar for these, and each bite was chocolatey and delicious!)

Whole rolled oats 2/3 cup Pecans, roasted and hand crushed ¼ cup Flaxseeds 1½ teaspoons Sea salt ¼ teaspoon Whole-wheat flour ½ cup Turbinado sugar 1½ tablespoons Millet meal 1 tablespoon Cornmeal 1½ teaspoons Baking powder 11/8 teaspoons Baking soda ¼ teaspoon Chocolate chips or chunks ½ cup Soy milk 1 cup Fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons Egg 1
Canola oil 2 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 275ºF to keep the finished pancakes warm.

2. Grind the oats, 1 tablespoon of the pecans, the flaxseeds, and salt to a powder in a spice grinder. Place the ground meal in a large bowl with the flour, sugar, millet, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and chocolate. Whisk to combine and set aside.

3. Combine the soy milk and lemon juice in a bowl and let it stand for 5 minutes. Add the egg, stirring it gently to break the yolk, and 2 teaspoons of the canola oil, if using.

4. Gently fold the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture, but don't fully combine. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the oil, enough so it runs fast and leaves trails across the pan.

6. Using a ¼-cup measure, drop 4 to 6 pancakes into the pan. Flip when bubbles appear, about 4 minutes.

7. Cook for another minute, then remove the pancakes to a heat-resistant plate in the warmed oven.

BACON-CHOCOLATE VARIATION

To the dry ingredients, add 4 to 5 slices crisp-cooked bacon, cooled and chopped into ¼-inch bits (about ½ cup).

BACON-CHOCOLATE BANANA SANDWICHES

Preheat the oven to 325ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make the Bacon-Chocolate Pancake Variation as directed, holding the finished pancakes on the prepared baking sheet. Slice 2 or 3 bananas in half lengthwise and, in a small pan, sauté them in a healthy amount of unsalted butter over low heat until lightly caramelized. Cut the banana halves to size for layering on the pancakes. Meanwhile, grate a bar of semisweet chocolate on the large holes of a box grater. To make the sandwiches, sprinkle 1 pancake with chocolate, layer on banana slices, sprinkle more chocolate, and then top with another pancake. Heat in the oven until the chocolate has melted, about 5 minutes. Devour these with glee and don't forget to have a napkin handy to wipe the gooey chocolate from the corners of your mouth!

BUTTER OR OIL?

Whether you coat the griddle with butter or oil is really a personal preference. Both cook well, but with slightly different results. Butter is my default for flavor, but sometimes a lot is required and it can brown quickly. Oil leaves a uniform, more predictable surface, but offers a little less flavor. A 50/50 combo can be very nice to work with!

MULTIGRAIN PANCAKES

Although my baking recipes typically feature unbleached, all-purpose flour, I prefer whole grains for pancakes. They not only taste better and have a lighter texture, but I find them easier to digest. Millet delivers a lot of flavor without much heft, and potato starch gives a light sweetness that complements the maple or honey.

In most recipes, cream of tartar is used in a 2-to-1 ratio with baking soda, but lemon juice reacts with the soda as well, releasing the gas that creates the bubbles that tell you it's time to flip the pancake.

Milk or soy milk 1 cup Fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons Egg 1
Whole rolled oats 1/3 cup Flaxseeds 2 teaspoons Whole-wheat flour ½ cup Millet flour 3 tablespoons Superfine sugar 3 tablespoons Potato starch 1 tablespoon Cornmeal 1 tablespoon Baking soda ¾ teaspoon Cream of tartar ¾ teaspoon Vegetable oil 1 to 2 tablespoons

1. Preheat the oven to 275ºF to keep the finished pancakes warm.

2. In a small bowl, combine the milk and lemon juice and set aside for 5 minutes to thicken. Add the egg, stirring it gently to break the yolk.

3. Meanwhile, mill the oats and flaxseeds to a powder in a spice grinder. Whisk to combine them in a medium bowl with the whole-wheat and millet flours, sugar, potato starch, cornmeal, baking soda, and cream of tartar.

4. Gently stir the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture, but don't fully combine. Set aside for another 5 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, pour the vegetable oil onto the griddle and spread it out.

6. Using a ¼-cup measure, drop 4 to 6 pancakes into the pan. Flip when bubbles appear, after 3 to 4 minutes.

7. Cook for another minute, then remove the pancakes to a heat-resistant plate in the warmed oven until ready to serve. Top with butter and maple syrup, as desired.

COCONUT MILK FLAPJACKS

The coconut milk in these delicious griddle cakes will bring a taste of the Caribbean to even the coldest winter mornings. The bouquet of island flavor comes alive with the allspice and coconut milk.

Banana, mashed 1 cup (about 6 ounces)
Coconut milk or milk 1 cup Egg 1
Fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons Honey 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract 1 teaspoon Whole-wheat flour 1 cup Whole rolled oats ¼ cup Buckwheat flour 2 tablespoons Superfine sugar 1 tablespoon Baking powder 1½ teaspoons Baking soda ½ teaspoon Salt ¼ teaspoon Butter or vegetable oil 1 tablespoon Cinnamon and allspice to sprinkle

1. Preheat the oven to 275ºF to keep the finished pancakes warm.

2. Combine the banana in a medium bowl with the coconut milk, egg, lemon juice, honey, and vanilla extract. Set aside for 5 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, whisk to combine the whole-wheat flour, oats, buckwheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. Gently fold the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture, but don't fully combine. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes to soften the oats.

5. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. When the surface is hot, add the butter or vegetable oil and spread it out.

6. Using a ¼-cup measure, drop 4 to 6 pancakes into the pan. Flip when bubbles appear, after about 3 to 4 minutes.

7. Cook for another minute, then remove the pancakes to a heat-resistant plate in the warmed oven.

8. Sprinkle with a dusting of cinnamon and allspice and serve with warmed maple syrup or try topping with Raspberry Compote.

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Excerpted from "Cakelove in the Morning"
by .
Copyright © 2012 Warren Brown.
Excerpted by permission of Abrams Books.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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