Showing posts with label Breakfast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Breakfast. Show all posts
I loved it too, as it was a fabulously tasty way to use up stale bread. Its even better when you use stale raisin bread, and if you cook it in a waffle iron something really magical happens!
You end up with French Toast that is covered with lovely little dimples which are just perfect for capturing all of the butter and syrup that you spread and pour on top.
French Toast made with simple ordinary stale bread is delicious. Its even more delicious when you make it with an artisanal bread such as a stale brioche. Make it with thick raisin bread however and you have reached the pinnacle of French Toast tastiness!
I have always loved toasted raisin bread. I enjoy it warm and spread with butter or sometimes peanut butter. Peanut butter on toasted raisin bread is oh-so-tasty! Almost as good as dessert!
I tasted French Toast for the very first time when I was about 10 years old. My friend at school had been talking about how her mother made French Toast every Friday for lunch. What was this French Toast? As I said, my mother never made this for us.
It sounded deliciously exotic. It was French after all, and wasn't everything that came from France exotic?
One week she invited me to go to her home for a French Toast Friday lunch. It was love at first bite for me. I never was able to convince my mother to make it for us, but when I grew up and had my own family it was something we all enjoyed!
Using Raisin bread to make it really takes it over the top!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE WAFFLED RAISIN BREAD FRENCH TOAST
You will see, that not a lot is needed at all. Its a very simple and uncomplicated breakfast option.
- 2 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup (60ml) whole milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
- 4 slices thick raisin bread
- butter (if cooking on the stove)
- maple syrup and butter to serve (Bacon or sausage on the side is great!)
I only ever use free-range eggs if I can help it. I want to eat food that has been raised and produced in the nicest way possible. I hate the idea of promoting or supporting any industry that is inhumane or that provides appalling providence.
I would rather not eat eggs at all than to eat eggs from caged hens. I know free-range cost more, but they are worth every penny. We get ours at a place just around the corner from where I live. You can actually see the hens running about in the field. If the hens are happy, I enjoy the eggs more.
This is the raisin bread we like to use. I first saw this at my sister's place. We get it at our local Super Store. It is lovely and thick and chock full of raisins. It is also nicely flavored with cinnamon so there is no need to add extra cinnamon to the French Toast recipe.
It also makes really great regular toast, slathered in butter, peanut butter or, yes, cream cheese. Oh my goodness, cream cheese on it is excellent!
HOW TO MAKE WAFFLED RAISIN BREAD FRENCH TOAST
You will need a waffle iron or machine to make the waffled version, but no worries if you don't have one of those. You can still make it anyways the regular way in a skillet on the stove. It just won't have those crisp edged syrup hugging dimples, which are rather tasty.
Beat the eggs and milk together in a large shallow bowl. (I use a pasta bowl.) (If you are using cinnamon add it now as well.)
Heat your waffle iron according to the manufacturers instructions. Spray with non-stick cooking spray if needed.
Working with one slice at a time, dip your raisin bread into the egg mixture, flipping it over after about half a minute so that both sides are soaked.
Place into your slice of bread into your waffle iron, close and cook until golden brown. Remove and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the remaining slices.
Serve warm with a pat of butter on top and some maple syrup for pouring over top.
If you are cooking it in the conventional way, melt a pat of butter in a heavy based skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter begins to foam, add the soaked bread.
Cook or 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown on the underside. Flip over and cook the other side for an additional minute until golden brown. If your toast is browning too quickly turn the temperature of the stove down, adjusting the heat as necessary.
Keep warm in a low oven until you have cooked all four slices. Serve as above.
This really does make a lovely breakfast. Whether you enjoy it at the weekend or on a week day, it always goes down a real treat.
You can also double or triple the recipe and freeze the baked waffles on a wax paper lined baking sheet. Once frozen wrap them up tightly and keep frozen for up to six months, ready to take out and pop up for a quick rewarm in the toaster as and when you want to enjoy a nice slice of French Toast.
I enjoyed mine with a side of crisp streaky bacon and some pure Maple Syrup. Sausages are also nice on the side and don't forget the cold glass of orange juice! You are in breakfast heaven!
CHOCOLATE AND CINNAMON FRENCH TOAST - French toast made with a sour dough bread. Dusted with cinnamon sugar when done and then drizzled with a really good quality melted chocolate. This is an excellent version!
RASPBERRY BAKEWELL FRENCH TOAST - A delicious breakfast option which is a fabulous take on the ever-popular Bakewell Tart. Almond flavored French Toast made with buttery croissants, topped with sugar crusted flaked almonds and served with a raspberry syrup.
Yield: makes 4 slices
Waffled Raisin Bread French Toast
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 15 Min
I love this easy French toast for breakfast or brunch! Quick and easy to make. I bake it in a waffle iron, but you can also cook it on the stove if you don't have a waffle iron.
Ingredients
- 2 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup (60ml) whole milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
- 4 slices thick raisin bread
- butter (if cooking on the stove)
- maple syrup and butter to serve (Bacon or sausage on the side is great!)
Instructions
- Beat the eggs and milk together in a large shallow bowl. (I use a pasta bowl.) (If you are using cinnamon add it now as well.)
- Heat your waffle iron according to the manufacturers instructions. Spray with non-stick cooking spray if needed.
- Working with one slice at a time, dip your raisin bread into the egg mixture, flipping it over after about half a minute so that both sides are soaked.
- Place into your slice of bread into your waffle iron, close and cook until golden brown. Remove and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the remaining slices.
- Serve warm with a pat of butter on top and some maple syrup for pouring over top.
- If you are cooking it in the conventional way, melt a pat of butter in a heavy based skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter begins to foam, add the soaked bread.
- Cook or 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown on the underside. Flip over and cook the other side for an additional minute until golden brown. If your toast is browning too quickly turn the temperature of the stove down, adjusting the heat as necessary.
- Keep warm in a low oven until you have cooked all four slices. Serve as above.
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I have been interested in food and cooking for all of my life. When I was a child my mother would give me her old magazines and I would clip recipes from out of them. My mother was not someone who tolerated little hands messing up her kitchen, so I never really got to try any of them.
We could watch, but from afar. Actually touching anything was forbidden. I think she was just really afraid we would hurt ourselves. One time I burnt my left hand very badly. We had solid electric burners on our stove. I was getting up to sit on the garbage can to watch her and I put my full hand and my weight down onto my left hand on the burner which had just been shut off.
The whole palm of my hand was very badly burnt. I can remember to this day how badly it felt. I was only five years old. I am sure this went a lot way towards her not wanting us in the kitchen. She sewed a little cotton bag with a drawstring top for me to wear on my hand when I was allowed back to school.
Anyways, I have always been collecting recipes. Recipes from magazines. Recipes from cookbooks I would take out from the local library. Recipes gifted to me by friends. Family recipes, etc.
I had a huge collection of cookbooks in the UK, amassed over years and years of collecting. I left them all behind when I came back to Canada, with the mistaken idea that it was cheaper to replace them here. Actually some of them were irreplaceable, which I have found out.
All of the recipes I collected were put into my Big Blue Binder, which is a huge vinyl binder which has travelled all the way across Canada and back, and now across the ocean and back with me.
I used to love to buy Woman's Day and Family Circle, mostly for the recipes. In the Woman's Day magazine they would have a pull out section every month called The Collector's Cookbook. I collected quite a few of those.
This muffin recipe I am sharing with you today comes from this pull out from a Woman's Day magazine published in October of 1973.
This is the one I used. I pick it up in small packages at our local Giant Tiger store for a fairly reasonable price. If you are in the UK, you will not be able to find this type of thing, or at least you couldn't when I lived there just a few years ago.
I did find a recipe online where you can make your own Buttermilk Baking Mix here on the Hill Billy Housewife. It does require Buttermilk powder. You can buy buttermilk powder here, but I warn you it is very expensive.
It is possible to make your own Homemade Baking Mix. I am pretty sure it would work as well as the Buttermilk Baking Mix. Here is my recipe for making it from scratch. It does come in handy for all sorts.
*Homemade Baking Mix*
Makes 24 servingsThis is mix which comes in really handy to have in the cupboard, ready to use for making muffins, pancakes and all sorts.
245g milk powder (1 cup)
5 TBS baking powder
50g white sugar (1/4 cup)
1 TBS salt
220g white vegetable shortening (1 cup) (Trex or Crisco)
Whisk flour, dry milk powder, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Cut shortening into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter, about 1/2 cup at a time, until mixture resembles cornmeal. Store in an air-tight container for up to 3 months.
To make biscuits/scones: Measure 260g (2 cups) of the mix into a bowl. Stir in 180ml buttermilk (3/4 cup) with a fork, Pat out, cut into circles and bake in a 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7 oven for about 10 minutes. Makes six large biscuits (scones).
To make Pancakes: Measure 260g (2 cups) of the mix into a bowl. Whisk in 3 TBS sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 2 TBS vegetable oil and 2 eggs. Whisk together until smooth. Cook as per regular pancakes on a greased griddle. Drop 1/4 cupful at a time onto hot greased griddle. Cook until the edges are dry, flip and cook until golden. Makes about 14.
You really only need four simple ingredients. I usually always have these things in the house.
- 1 cup (130g) buttermilk baking mix
- 3 TBS granulated sugar
- 1 large free range egg
- 1/3 cup (80ml) cold water
HOW TO MAKE EASY MUFFINS
They really couldn't be easier to make. These are perfect for when you want to bake up a small batch of muffins at the last minute. There are also variations on the printable recipe to make date or nut muffins, or corn muffins.
Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a six cup medium sized muffin tin/pan really well. Set aside.
Measure the baking mix, sugar, egg and water into a bowl. Beat vigorously with a spoon for 1/2 minute. Divide between the muffin cups.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown and risen. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.
VARIATIONS:
Nut or Date Muffins: Add 1/4 cup of chopped nuts or dated to the batter before putting in the pans.
Corn Muffins: Melt 2 TBS butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add 1/2 cup each buttermilk baking mix (65g), 1/2 cup white or yellow cornmeal (80g), 2 TBS sugar, 1 large free range egg, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/3 cup (80ml) water. Mix well, then beat 1/2 minute. Bake as directed above.
I was really impressed with the ease at which these muffins went together. Like I said, I have had this recipe since 1973 and this was the first time I have cooked it. I can tell you, it won't be the last!
They were a nice size, not too big and had a beautiful texture. The perfect muffin texture. I did the date version and added chopped Medjool dates to mine. They were delicious!
If you would like to make muffins completely from scratch, there is no shortage of delicious muffins here in The English Kitchen. Some you might enjoy are:
FOUR PERFECT BLUEBERRY MUFFINS: This recipe makes only four of the most perfect, deliciously delectable blueberry muffins. With a lovely tender and moist crumb and plenty of blueberries, these always go down a real treat and I love that there are not tons of muffins to use up at the end of the day.
ULTIMATE BUTTERMILK BRAN MUFFINS: Of all the muffins that I bake Bran Muffins are my favorites, being filled with fiber and somewhat healthy. This particularly nice version uses buttermilk which makes for a really lovely and moist muffin with a slightly tangy flavor. With two types of bran they are light and delicious!
Yield: 6 medium muffins
Easy Muffins
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 18 MinTotal time: 23 Min
With only four basic ingredients, these really are easy muffins to make. Variations are in the recipe notes. Moist and delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (130g) buttermilk baking mix
- 3 TBS granulated sugar
- 1 large free range egg
- 1/3 cup (80ml) cold water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a six cup medium sized muffin tin/pan really well. Set aside.
- Measure the baking mix, sugar, egg and water into a bowl. Beat vigorously with a spoon for 1/2 minute. Divide between the muffin cups.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown and risen. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.
Notes
VARIATIONS:
Nut or Date Muffins: Add 1/4 cup of chopped nuts or dated to the batter before putting in the pans.
Corn Muffins: Melt 2 TBS butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add 1/2 cup each buttermilk baking mix (65g), 1/2 cup white or yellow cornmeal (80g), 2 TBS sugar, 1 large free range egg, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/3 cup (80ml) water. Mix well, then beat 1/2 minute. Bake as directed above.
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I was a grown up adult before I ever tasted a waffle. They just were not something my mother ever cooked for us, although she did have a waffle iron attachment to her griddle. I imagine she probably found them quite fiddly.
She hardly ever cooked us pancakes either. Once a year, on pancake day. That was it. I can remember seeing waffles on the television and wondering what they tasted like, and then there were the Leggo my Eggo commercials.
In fact I am pretty certain that an Eggo Toaster Waffle was probably my first ever experience with waffles and this would have been when I was bringing up my own children. I didn't have a waffle maker.
I made pancakes for them from scratch quite often, but not waffles. Not from scratch anyways.
My first time ever having a from scratch breakfast waffle was in the states, probably in the 1980's at one of the breakfast chains, a place like Perkins or Big Boys, or some such. Oh my goodness, absolutely gorgeous. I fell in love.
Toaster waffles had nothing on those! Oh boy!
Of course I have never been to a Waffle House in my life, but they have to be good eh? I found this recipe on the Delish website. They sounded and looked gorgeous. How could I resist!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE WAFFLE HOUSE COPYCAT WAFFLES
Simple every day kitchen ingredients.
- 1 1/2 cups (210g) all purpose plain flour
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 1 large free range egg
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (60ml) buttermilk
- 4 TBS (60g) butter, melted
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
To serve:
- softened butter
- pure maple syrup
- fresh berries
The original recipe called for half and half cream. I did not have any of this in my house, nor do I think you can buy it here. I used a mix of half whole milk and half cream. It worked beautifully.
If you don't have buttermilk, simply add a teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to the measuring cup and add whole milk. Stir and leave to clabber for about 5 minutes.
HINTS AND TIPS FOR MAKING GREAT WAFFLES
If you follow my hints and tips you can be assured of some perfectly cooked and beautiful waffles.
Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature. Take them out of the refrigerator when you first get up and then go do your morning ablutions. They will be perfect when it comes time to make your waffles.
Allow your melted butter to cool a bit before stirring it into the other wet ingredients. Doing so helps to keep it from solidifying when it hits the wet ingredients, and helps it to blend in better.
Do not over mix your batter. Whisk together the dry, then the wet. Combine together only until evenly mixed. A few lumps are quite welcome. Just not huge dry streaks.
Don't overfill your waffle maker. This helps to prevent spillage. If you ladle it on only until it is two thirds full, then when you close your lid the pressure from the lid will cause the batter to fill in the empty area, creating the perfect waffle.
Bake only until either the steaming stops or the green light comes on (if you have a built in timer). They will be perfectly done. Try not to lift the lid too soon or you will risk tearing your waffles.
If you have a newer waffle maker there is probably no need to grease your waffle maker.
Cooked waffles can be kept warm in a low oven while you finish baking all of your waffles. Just pop them onto a baking sheet and into the oven. Not too hot or you risk drying them out. You only want to keep them warm.
HOW TO MAKE WAFFLE HOUSE WAFFLES
Nothing could be simpler.
Whisk all of the dry ingredients well together in a medium bowl. (flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, soda.) Whisk the egg, milk, cream, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla together in a glass beaker to combine well..
Make a hollow in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the wet into the hollow of the dry gradually, mixing in with a rubber spatula and scraping the sides of the bowl until everything is evenly dampened. No large pockets of dry ingredients should remain. A few small lumps are preferred, so do take care not to overmix.
Preheat your waffle iron to medium heat. Spray lightly with low fat cooking spray or oil the plates if needed. (My waffle iron works better without this. I have a Cuisineart one and it is less than 2 years old.)
Ladle the batter onto the bottom plate of your waffle iron, add 1/4 to 3/4 cup of batter, depending on the size of your waffle iron. Spread out lightly to the edges using a rubber spatula.
Close the iron and cook, undisturbed for 4 to 6 minutes, until golden brown and crispy edged.
Transfer to a wire rack that you have placed over a baking tray in a low oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter until you have cooked all your waffles. Serve warm with butter, syrup and berries.
These were really, really delicious. Nice and light with crisp edges. A tad bit on the sweet side, but that went well with the tartness of the raspberries. All in all, I really enjoyed these!
Some other waffle recipes which you might enjoy from my English Kitchen are:
GINGERBREAD WAFFLES WITH LEMON CREAM - Perfect for holidays, perfect for any time really. With just the right amount of spice. The lemon cream is the perfect accompaniment! I also serve fruit, butter and syrup. These are a really special way to show someone how much you love them.
HIGHLAND WAFFLES - Quick and easy waffles that use pancake mix, instant oats, and dried currants. Sweetened with molasses these have a lovely nutty wholesome texture and taste. If you don't have instant oats you can blitz regular oats in a food processor to break them down a bit. These are fabulously tasty!
Yield: 4 - 6
Waffle House Waffles Best Copycat recipe
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min
I confess I have never been to a waffle house, but when I saw these, I could not resist giving them a try. They are quite simply fabulous! They also freeze well.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (210g) all purpose plain flour
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 1 large free range egg
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (60ml) buttermilk
- 4 TBS (60g) butter, melted
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
To serve:
- softened butter
- pure maple syrup
- fresh berries
Instructions
- Whisk all of the dry ingredients well together in a medium bowl. (flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, soda.) Whisk the egg, milk, cream, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla together in a glass beaker to combine well..
- Make a hollow in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the wet into the hollow of the dry gradually, mixing in with a rubber spatula and scraping the sides of the bowl until everything is evenly dampened. No large pockets of dry ingredients should remain. A few small lumps are preferred, so do take care not to overmix.
- Preheat your waffle iron to medium heat. Spray lightly with low fat cooking spray or oil the plates if needed. (My waffle iron works better without this. I have a Cuisineart one.)
- Ladle the batter onto the bottom plate of your waffle iron, add 1/4 to 3/4 cup of batter, depending on the size of your waffle iron. Spread out lightly to the edges using a rubber spatula.
- Close the iron and cook, undisturbed for 4 to 6 minutes, until golden brown and crispy edged.
- Transfer to a wire rack that you have placed over a baking tray in a low oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter until you have cooked all your waffles.
- Serve warm with butter, syrup and berries.
Notes
You can make the batter up to 1 day ahead. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
You can freeze the baked waffles. Simple wrap individually and then pop into an airtight zip lock baggie and freeze. These can be reheated in a toaster or low oven, depending on the size of your waffles.
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