Celebrate the season morning noon and night, with recipes like these from our friends at Toast Café and Angus Barn.
Save some for Santa, and you’re bound to find extra goodies under the tree!
Strawberry & Cream Cheese-Stuffed French Toast
Since opening its doors in Cary in late September, Toast Café has been serving up gourmet breakfast, brunch and lunch including this specialty French toast. “We have a passion for simple, fresh-made food and quality customer service,” said co-owner Dean Kessel.
Makes 10-12 servings
1 cup half & half
10 eggs
10 egg yolks
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Two slices of Texas toast per serving
Mix all ingredients well. Recipe can be used for gluten-free French toast; just dip with gluten-free bread in different batch.
To assemble:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 cup sliced strawberries
Mix well. On one piece of Texas toast, spread ¼ cup of strawberry and cream cheese mixture. Sandwich with a second piece of toast to seal.
Dip into batter; be careful not to oversaturate. Place onto a 350-degree preheated grill greased with 1 tablespoon butter. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes and repeat on other side.
Cut in half diagonally and plate. Add powdered sugar and additional strawberries. Drizzle with maple syrup as desired.
Toast Café
Waverly Place, Cary
(919) 655-1971
toastcafeonline.com
Angus Barn Chocolate Chess Pie
Sweet treats at Angus Barn include the nationally-recognized Chocolate Chess Pie, its most-often-ordered dessert. “The Angus Barn Chocolate Chess Pie is timeless,” said Chef Walter Royal. “It is best served room temperature, or slightly warm. To take your guests back in time, make it a la mode!”
1 unbaked pie crust
1 stick butter
2 squares baker’s chocolate, semisweet
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
Dash of salt
Melt butter and chocolate, then mix with other ingredients which have been blended together. Pour into pie crust and bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees F. Top with fresh whipped cream.
Angus Barn Plain Cheesecake
“A little fresh fruit of your choice, cranberries, blueberries, blackberries or glazed apples, make the perfect dessert that can be prepared ahead,” notes Royal, of this New York-style cheesecake.
Filling:
5 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon vanilla
1 ¾ cups sugar
3 tablespoons flour
¼ teaspoon salt
4 to 5 eggs
2 egg yolks
¼ cup whipping cream
Crust:
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup melted butter
1 ½ cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
Mix crust ingredients together and press in bottom and half up the sides of a cheesecake or springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 8 minutes. Cool.
Beat cream cheese with sugar, salt and flour until creamy. Add vanilla; add eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating to blend. Gently blend in cream.
Pour into the baked crust. Wrap foil around bottom of pan. Place in a larger pan and add ¾-inch of water surrounding the cake pan.
Place on low rack in preheated oven. Bake at 300 degrees F. for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Top with sour cream mixed with sugar, or top with fresh fruit.
Angus Barn
9401 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh
(919) 781-2444
angusbarn.com
