Vanilla Malt Pancakes

Not too much rambling here - just going to cut to the chase. These were created from one of those "you know what would be so good right now?" moments, and they were a huge hit. Who doesn't love a big stack of flapjacks from their favorite diner along side a huge vanilla malt? Feel free to swap in maraschino cherries if you must, but raspberries are a favorite in this house and were dynamite with the cakes.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cup AP flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/3 - 1/2 cup malted milk powder (I go for the full whack here, since I love all things malted)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
2 Tbsp sunflower, or other neutral oil
2 Tbsp best quality pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
2 tsp sugar* (if using vanilla bean paste, do not add sugar)
2 eggs 
1 1/4 cup whole milk
1 cup well chilled heavy cream + 1 - 3 tsp powdered sugar (optional)
fresh fruit of your choice, or your favorite maraschino cherries

In place of maple syrup, which would drown out the flavors in these pancakes, I opt for softly whipped cream. About 30 minutes before you start your pancakes, place a bowl and whisk in the freezer. Prepare the whipped cream right before you start the cakes by combining the cream and sugar (no vanilla necessary since the cakes are laden with it) and whip with a hand held mixer (or by hand) to desired firmness (but don't take it too far - you don't want it to turn to butter... or maybe you do?). With every thing so well chilled, the cream will whip up super fast, even by hand.

Place a well seasoned cast iron skillet or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Have a tablespoon or 2 of unsalted butter nearby.

Place the flour, powder and salt in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Beat eggs in a large bowl till very frothy: about a minute or 2. Add the milk and malted milk powder to the eggs and continue to whisk till malt is incorporated. Add melted butter, oil, vanilla and sugar* and stir well. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and fold them together with a rubber spatula til just combined; do not over mix. 

Add a little pat of butter to the pan before each batch of pancakes. I prefer a scant 1/4 cup measurement for each cake - you can do more or less for your preference. Cook til bubbly on top and dry around the edges - flip and cook for another 45 - 90 seconds, depending on size of cake. You can eat them as you go, or keep them warm in a 200 degree oven. I highly suggest the eat as you go- they are not as tender if kept warm.

This recipe is an adaptation of Lucian Truscott IV's Mississippi Pancakes from 

The New York Times

Vanilla Almond French Toast with Salted Caramel Sauce

Pancakes have been a long running favorite in our house, so much so that the little one didn't even know what french toast was... yet. She has had a serious yen for toast ever since her first bite, so it didn't take much convincing to get her to try this. Especially with it being made with her bread of choice: brioche. 

The salted caramel sauce puts this 'dessert for breakfast' over the top, with its thick and rich gooey-ness running down the edges of the crisp-almondy-exterior, warm-vanilla-custardy-interior goodness. 

I'd been looking for a use of almond flour that didn't dominate a recipe, since it is so caloric and high in fat. Granted, there are some great health benefits there, but not enough to excuse my guilt for using 2+ cups in a cookie recipe. And yes, brioche french toast isn't exactly nutritious or kind on the hips, but hey, I had to start somewhere.  Almond flour is however, a perfect coating for french toast, and who doesn't love the combination of vanilla and almond?

This is not something you enjoy everyday, which makes it a perfect choice for a weekend breakfast/brunch for a crowd of special people. The salted caramel sauce can be made up to several days ahead, leaving you to focus on the main preparation. It does help to plan ahead and get some brioche a few days before you make this dish, enhancing the bread's ability to soak up all that delicious eggy vanilla custard and prevent the inside from being too squidgy. You want a custardy interior, not wet and mushy. 

INGREDIENTS

8 1 inch thick slices 3 day old 
   brioche
7 large eggs
3/4 cup half and half or whole 
   milk
2 tsp vanilla or vanilla bean paste
pinch of kosher salt
1 heaping cup almond flour, plus 
   ~1/2 cup more if needed
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided




                                                                                

for the salted caramel sauce

5 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup superfine sugar aka 
   bakers sugar
3 Tbsp golden syrup, or light corn 
   syrup if in a pinch
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp very good vanilla
1 tsp fleur de sel, or maldon salt,
   or Portuguese 'Salt Cream' sea salt

In a small sauce pan, add all the caramel sauce ingredients except for the salt, cream and vanilla, then place over medium heat. Give a little smoosh to the sugars with a wooden spoon to help combine them, then don't touch! 

Let the mixture come to a vigorous simmer and set a timer for 3 minutes. Feel free to swirl the caramel a few times as it bubbles away. Add the cream and salt and let simmer for 1 more minute - no more, no less. Remove from heat and add the vanilla, stirring into the caramel with wooden spoon. 

The sauce will have a pretty thin consistency at this point, which is fine - don't panic! Let the sauce cool for 10 minutes and empty into a glass vessel that has a spout for easy pourability. Let the sauce cool for about 30 minutes till it becomes nice and thick, but still warm enough to top your french toast. You can also make this several days in advance, just heat it up in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring well at the end of each zap, till it comes up to desired temp.

Place the eggs, milk or half and half, vanilla and salt into a glass pie plate or other deep, flat bottomed dish. Whisk till very well combined. In another similar dish, add the almond flour and shake the dish a tad to evenly distribute the flour over the bottom.

Place a large non-stick skillet over medium low heat. Working with 2 pieces at a time, place one slice of brioche in the custard mixture and let sit for 1 minute on each side. Add 1 Tbsp of butter to the pan. Dredge the first slice into the almond flour on each side while the second is soaking in the custard. Repeat with the second slice. Shake a bit to remove excess and add both to the pan. Cover and cook for 4 minutes, then remove lid. Let cook for another minute or so, or till the first side is golden brown. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes or so. Continue with the remaining brioche. You may need to add a bit more almond flour to the dish to ensure they all get a nice coating, maybe another 1/2 cup or so.

The french toast remains pretty piping hot even after sitting for a good 5 minutes or so, but feel free to keep them warm in a 200* oven while you make up the entire batch.

1 piece is a good serving to start with, especially if you have some fresh fruit to go along with it. 2 per person is what we go with if we're feeling very indulgent. 

Salted Caramel Sauce recipe from Nigella Lawson

                                                                                                                               

Migas

A good friend introduced me to migas when we were living together nearly 10 years ago, and I immediately loved them. It's a simple dish with very little requirements - egg and some kind of bread or tortilla. The rest varies by region and household. Although the migas  I make today are a bit more involved than the ones I first had, the basics are still there- crisp corn tortilla, fluffy curds of eggs. I add a good helping of black beans, salsa verde and cheese to round it out a bit. Some crema drizzled over the top never hurts either.

Special enough for company, and much less fussy than an omelet, migas sometimes get put on heavy rotation around here. It's an inexpensive and quick 'breakfast' meal that is really good at any time of day. Pair it with your favorite morning potato, and you'll have quite a stick to your ribs kinda meal.

Since we don't have a dishwasher, I'm usually looking for ways to avoid using unnecessary dishes. This is a neat one I read about a while back, and now makes me look at the bottom of canned beans to find the proper design. There needs to be the same lip as there is on the top, which enables you to use a can opener on the bottom. Yes, not all cans are created equal. By using a can/bottle opener for the bottom to create a few holes, once opening the lid you've got a DIY colander! Check it out:

It may be only my perception, but the beans seem to get rinsed off faster this way, without getting agitated by a toss in a colander. 

Another crucial element to a good batch of migas is proper corn tortillas. The more thick and fresh, the better. Here is my favorite local brand, which you can get pretty much any where in Milwaukee-

no substitutes! Or, I suppose you can use your favorite corn tortilla. Migas, to me, aren't the same with flour tortillas, but if you can't stand corn tortillas, give them a go. 

INGREDIENTS

6 large eggs with a splash of ice water, beaten till foamy

1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed well

4 corn tortillas, cut into 1/2 inch square pieces

1/2 cup canola or other neutral oil

3/4 cup salsa verde or tomatillo salsa

1 cup crumbled queso fresco, or favorite cheese of choice (I've used Parm in a pinch, and it's
   surprisingly really good in these migas!)

fresh cilantro (optional)

Place a large (preferably 12") non-stick or well seasoned cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add the canola oil and let it get very hot while you chop up your tortillas. Add them to the hot oil and fry for about 6 minutes, stirring frequently, till they are evenly golden brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel lined plate to absorb some of the oil. Set aside.

Remove all but 1 Tbsp of oil from the pan. Dial heat down to medium and add the black beans. Cook for a few minutes till they start to sizzle, stirring occasionally. Add the beaten eggs and begin to scramble. Pour in the salsa verde a couple minutes shy of how you like your eggs done and give the eggs a stir - I prefer mine quite moist, so I do this while there is about 1/3 uncooked egg in the pan. Add the fried tortillas and cook for a minute or so more. 

Once the eggs look almost done, turn off the heat and add the cheese. Let the eggs hang out for a moment while you pull together your plates and any other sides. Give the migas a good stir and serve them up immediately with some of your favorite hot sauce on the side.

Corn Pancakes with Bacon

I love savory pancakes, and these are no exception. There are only 3 things you absolutely have to follow to give these little corn cakes the best flavor. A well seasoned cast iron skillet, lots of bacon and corn flour. Oh, and corn of course. I used fresh corn here since its so plentiful right now, but frozen corn that has been thawed out should work great too.  

Even though this is a savory pancake, I adore them with lots of good maple syrup. They're good enough to eat plain, yet the syrup paired with the smoky bacon is a winning combo. With some perfectly ripe tomatoes, this is pretty much a quintessential summer meal that is great for any time of day.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup corn flour
1/2 cup AP flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp sugar
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs, whisked till very frothy
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 medium ears of corn with the corn cut off and the  
   ears scraped of all the 'milk', or 1 1/2 cups frozen
   thawed corn
6 strips good quality bacon, bacon fat reserved for
   frying the cakes

Set an 8 - 12" well seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook till very crisp. Once the rendered fat left in the pan has cooled some, pour it into a glass bowl and set aside.

Sift dry ingredients into a medium glass bowl. Add the milk, melted butter and oil to the beaten eggs. Cut the corn kernels from the cob right in the bowl of milk and eggs, taking care to scrape the cobs well with the back of your knife to get all the sweet corn 'milk' from the cob. Add the sifted dry ingredients and crumble the cooked bacon into the wet ingredients. Whisk together till just combined - be careful not to over mix. 

Reheat your cast iron skillet over medium low heat. Add a scant Tbsp of reserved bacon fat.  Place just under 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake into the skillet, and cook till there are quite a few air bubbles on top of your pancakes and the edges start to turn golden brown. Flip and cook a minute or 2 more. Set the pancakes aside. Add some bacon fat into the skillet before each batch of pancakes, and fry them up till all the batter is used.

Serve the pancakes straight out of the skillet as they're ready, or keep warm in a 200* oven. Top with lots of butter and warm maple syrup.

Recipe adapted from Blueberry Flax Pancakes, which was originated by Lucian Truscott IV

Blueberry Flax Pancakes with Caramelized Bananas

It seems that every food blogger has got their quintessential pancake post, so I figured now is as good a time as any to throw mine into the ring. There is a saturation of them out there, which kept me from posting my favorite pancakes for a bit, but then I resigned to the fact that it's because people love pancakes, and the more options, the better. 

Blueberry and banana has long been one of my favorite fruit combinations. By adding  brown sugar and bumping up the nutritional value by adding a bit of flax meal, slightly curbs the guilt I feel when eating these. Because they are some rich pancakes - you don't even need to add butter! 

I've tried tons of pancake recipes over the years, and I think this one is my favorite... for now. Marion Cunningham's buttermilk pancake was a true workhorse for me for a long time, but Lucian K. Truscott IV's rendition (yep, IV) may have permanently replaced it. For one thing, it calls for milk, not buttermilk. I don't know about most people, but the only reason I ever bought buttermilk was to make pancakes. And the rest of it would usually spoil by the time I felt up to making them again. You can use buttermilk instead, which I've tried once, but I do prefer regular milk here.

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
1 cup whole milk or buttermilk
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
6 Tbsp unsalted butter,  3 of which need to be melted and slightly cooled 
1 cup AP flour
1/4 cup flax meal (you can grind up some flax seed in a spice grinder - same thing)
3 tsp baking powder
3 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 pint fresh blueberries
2 - 3 medium to large bananas
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
pinch of cinnamon (~1/8 tsp)

Preheat oven to 200* and place a baking sheet on the middle rack. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until light and foamy. Stir in milk, oil and butter. In another bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. You'll have some of the flax seed casings left over - go ahead and dump them in. Gently whisk dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Lumps are okay.

Place a nonstick griddle or pan over medium heat. Let the batter rest for a few minutes while the pan heats up. The trick to not having a crummy first batch of pancakes is only in having the pan hot enough. Pour in about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Top each pancake with a handful of blueberries. Flip when bubbles are bursting on the top of the cakes and the edges look dry. Continue cooking for about another minute. Place pancakes in oven to keep warm, or serve them immediately for any impatient eaters. But they'll have to wait to have them with the warm, gooey, caramelized bananas.

In the same pan you cooked the pancakes, dial the heat back to low and add the brown sugar and remaining butter. Slice the bananas lengthwise, then half them (or cut into thirds if you have very large ones). Place cut side down in the pan and sprinkle with the cinnamon. Raise heat to medium low and cook for about 3 minutes a side, moving them around in the pan to keep the sugar from burning. Top the pancakes with bananas and melted butter/brown sugar from pan. Add a touch of maple syrup if you want to be really decadent. 

This recipe is an adaptation of of Lucian Truscott IV's Mississippi Pancakes and Haydee's Bananas from his article "With Pancakes, Every Day Is Sunday" from the New York Times.

Savory Mini Cheesecakes

These cheesecakes are kind of a cross between a cheesecake and a souffle. They have a wonderfully textured interior, and just enough crumb on the outside to hold it together. You can really get creative with the cheese you decide on incorporating into the batter, as well as what you serve them with. I was in a traditional mood when I made them, so I followed what the recipe recommended and used Roquefort. 

This recipe is from Jacques Pépin's More Fast Food My Way, which I love. I made a few adaptations since I didn't have a couple of the ingredients on hand, but they were still very good. I do recommend having company when you serve these, or you'll probably end up eating them all yourself. I had made these on my day off for my husband and I while the little one was napping. We housed 2 a piece. Then when little one woke up, she came into the kitchen, sniffing the air, saying 'num num!' I did feel a little guilty. But babies don't really like Roquefort, right?

INGREDIENTS                                                             

2 tsp unsalted butter, softened
4 Tbsp panko style bread crumbs
1 8 oz container whipped cream cheese,
   at room temperature
2 large eggs at room temperature
1/4 cup greek yogurt
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (I used Roquefort this time, but any fav crumbly cheese is good)                                                       

for the salad:
3 - 4 cups butter lettuce, or another tender,
   crunchy variety
1 scant Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pear, ripe yet still quite firm, sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350*. Coat 4 ramekins with the softened butter. Divide the panko into each mold and turn the ramekins at an angle to coat all sides. 

Whisk the cream cheese, eggs, greek yogurt, salt and pepper very well in a medium bowl. Divide evenly among the ramekins and sprinkle the blue cheese on top of each one. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them - depending on the size and shape of your ramekins, it may be a shorter or longer bake time. 

Meanwhile, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside and slice the pear. Arrange the lettuce on the plates, making a little 'bed' for the cheesecake. Place the sliced pear on top of the leaves and drizzle with the vinaigrette. 

Once the cheesecakes are done (they should still look slightly wet and soft in the center, yet set), let them cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes. Run a sharp paring knife around the edge of the cakes to loosen them from the ramekins. Invert each one into your hand, turn back up right and place on a prepared lettuce bed. Serve immediately.

This recipe has been adapted from More Fast Food My Way by Jacques Pépin

Pistachio Cardamom Scones

Another spin on a classic ATK recipe - the cream scone. This is a super traditional scone recipe, and more balanced than most I've tried. The combination of cardamom and pistachios was something I tried this winter for the first time at a local coffee joint who had recently began making their own baked goods. I had never made scones before and have eaten many, yet this particular scone broke me down and I had to make scones immediately... mainly since I can't afford to shell out the near $3 for one every day.

I did however splurge on really good cardamom at a local spice shop. Since I don't have a mortar and pestle yet, I regretfully couldn't get the exotic green cardamom pods. If you have the opportunity to make these with freshly ground pods, please do! I know that the little pieces infusing the dough would give an intoxicating scent and flavor. These were still good with the already ground I purchased, which was very fresh, fragrant, and with instructions to only use half of what a recipe calls for since it is more potent than most. I followed this advice and only used a 1/2 tsp instead of the full one that my instincts were shouting at me... and it was not quite enough. A full tsp would have been overdoing it a bit, yet a hefty 1/2 would have been perfect. 

Since this is such a simple recipe with few ingredients, it should be important to use higher quality dairy products - especially since there is so much of them. They should definitely be organic, and not on their last legs as far as shelf life.

As with all scones, these are best shortly out of the oven, but will keep for a couple of days in an airtight container, or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap.

INGREDIENTS

2 c AP flour, + extra for counter
3 Tbsp + 2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
heaping 1/2 tsp Penzey's brand ground cardamom or heaping 1 tsp other brand
5 Tbsp unsalted organic butter, cut in to 1/2" cubes and chilled
1/2 shelled salted pistachio
1 c + 2 Tbsp heavy cream




Preheat oven to 450 degrees and ensure there is a rack in middle of oven. Blend flour, sugar, powder, salt, and cardamom in food processor till well combined. Sprinkle butter evenly over the flour mixture and pulse till it resembles coarse cornmeal. A couple of larger lumps of butter is normal. Add the pistachios and pulse a few times.

Dump this mixture into a bowl and add 1 cup chilled cream. Stir with rubber spatula until the mixture just comes together. Empty out onto a clean, lightly floured work surface and knead just until the dough comes together. Press the dough into a roughly 9 inch circle with your fingers, then cut into 8 triangular pieces using a sharp knife or a bench scraper. 

Carefully transfer scones (you may want to use your bench scraper or a spatula to do this) to a parchment or silicone mat lined cookie sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with the 2 Tbsp cream, followed by a sprinkling of the 2 tsp sugar. 

Place into oven and bake for about 12 minutes or a tad longer, depending on your oven. They should be just golden brown. Let cool for about 10 minutes to ensure they set up properly before devouring. Or, eat immediately like we always do and never regret it. The texture is different, but in this case we don't care. Its still awesome.

This recipe is adapted from America's Test Kitchen's Cream Scones