Christmas Brunch Menu | Table Setting | Recipe for Baked Pecan French Toast with Berry Syrup
If you have been reading this blog for a while you know it is our family tradition to host brunch on Christmas Day. I have some go-to recipes like a spinach and egg strata that I've made many times but occasionally I'll come across a new recipe that inspires me to mix it up a bit. Such was the case this year. As soon as I saw the December issue of Bon Appetit I new I'd be making their Baked Pecan French Toast with Blackberry Syrup on Christmas morning. I'm not a huge fan of traditional french toast, but baked French toast is a whole different experience! I made a few tweaks to the recipe and will share them below, based on my typical baked French toast recipe. The best part about this menu is that I made everything, except the bacon, the day before and just warmed it up in the morning. Stress-free! The recipes were easy to pre-assemble and the combination of foods worked well, just the right balance of savory and sweet.
^^I kept the table simple and fresh. I used a boxwood topiary that has been on my kitchen window sill all month and a couple ironstone pitchers with berries and tulips I picked up at Trader Joe's a couple days before Christmas. Drop a couple pennies in the bottom of the vases will help keep the tulips heads from drooping. ^^
^^ burlap runner is from PB, striped runner is from HomeGoods^^
^^ I tied a few fresh greenery clippings in with the napkins (from PB) ^^
^^ I served the food buffet style. The only items I had on the dining room table were the warmed up crepes and a side dish with sugar and lemons in between Andrew + Charlie's seats, so that they could be made and rolled up one at a time. ^^
MENU
baked pecan french toast with mixed berry syrup
bacon
prosciutto de parma
mixed fresh berries
crepes with lemon + sugar
(Crepes were eaten by the kids! Made in advance, you can reheat in the microwave.)
(Crepes were eaten by the kids! Made in advance, you can reheat in the microwave.)
mimosas
Baked Pecan French Toast with Mixed Berry Syrup
(adapted from here)
PRINT HERE
1, 1 lb loaf of challah, sliced 1 inch thick. (Best to use 1 or 2 day old bread. I like Trader Joe's challah.)
unsalted butter, room temperature
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Pecan Topping:
1/2 cup pecans
2 TBS chilled unsalted butter, cut in pieces
2 TBS brown sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Butter a 13x9" baking dish. Generously butter the tops of each slice of bread, then cut them in half (I found this made for an easier and prettier arrangement in the baking pan). Cover the bottom of the dish in bread, then layer more slices on top, they will need to overlap to fit. The dish will be FULL.
Whisk eggs, cream, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Pour over top of bread slices, pressing down to make sure the bread soaks up the egg mixture. Sprinkle the top with 1-2 TBS of granulated sugar. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Pecan Topping:
Put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Can be made a day in advance. Cover and chill.
To Bake:
Remove dish from fridge and let it come to room temperature (about 45 minutes before it goes in the oven). Preheat oven to 375. Sprinkle pecan mixture over top, cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until nicely puffed up and deeply brown. Let cool slightly and serve with berry syrup.
Berry Syrup
1, 12 oz package of frozen berries, thawed (I used a strawberry, raspberry and blackberry mixture)
3 TBS fresh lemon juice
2 TBS sugar
1 cup pure maple syrup
Combine berries, lemon juice and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce temp and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup. Can also be made a day in advance. Cover and chill. Serve at room temperature.
PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE
PRINT HERE
1, 1 lb loaf of challah, sliced 1 inch thick. (Best to use 1 or 2 day old bread. I like Trader Joe's challah.)
unsalted butter, room temperature
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Pecan Topping:
1/2 cup pecans
2 TBS chilled unsalted butter, cut in pieces
2 TBS brown sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Butter a 13x9" baking dish. Generously butter the tops of each slice of bread, then cut them in half (I found this made for an easier and prettier arrangement in the baking pan). Cover the bottom of the dish in bread, then layer more slices on top, they will need to overlap to fit. The dish will be FULL.
Whisk eggs, cream, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Pour over top of bread slices, pressing down to make sure the bread soaks up the egg mixture. Sprinkle the top with 1-2 TBS of granulated sugar. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Pecan Topping:
Put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Can be made a day in advance. Cover and chill.
To Bake:
Remove dish from fridge and let it come to room temperature (about 45 minutes before it goes in the oven). Preheat oven to 375. Sprinkle pecan mixture over top, cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until nicely puffed up and deeply brown. Let cool slightly and serve with berry syrup.
Berry Syrup
1, 12 oz package of frozen berries, thawed (I used a strawberry, raspberry and blackberry mixture)
3 TBS fresh lemon juice
2 TBS sugar
1 cup pure maple syrup
Combine berries, lemon juice and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce temp and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup. Can also be made a day in advance. Cover and chill. Serve at room temperature.
PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE