By Chef Stephanie Banyas
If you're looking for one crowd-pleasing, show-stopping, pull-out-all-the-stops cold-weather breakfast recipe, you've found it. Equally at home on a regular Sunday or New Year's Day, this French toast soufflé gets gussied up with a maple-orange beurre blanc and, yes, champagne whipped cream.
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Brunch
French/American
Chef Stephanie Banyas
8-10
90 minutes
45 minutes
Knock your guests' (or your own) socks off with this big, bold brunch beauty. No champagne for the whipped cream? Prosecco will do, or skip it and just add orange zest. Also, note that while there's about 90 minutes of active prep time, there are a few hours of passive prep time to let the bread soak.
1-2 day-old loaves of challah, brioche or French bread, crusts removed, cut into 1-inch dice
8 oz Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature
¼ cup cane sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp finely grated orange zest
¼ tsp fine sea salt
Confectioners’ sugar, for garnish
1 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice (or store-bought)
1 ½ cups pure maple syrup
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into cubes and chilled
Zest of 1 orange
1 pinch sea salt
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ cup sparkling wine, chilled
Tools:
Baking Sheet
Baking Dish
Food Processor
Mixing Bowl(s)
Preheat your oven 250°F. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet in an even layer and bake, turning once, until the bread is dry, about 30 minutes.
Remove and let cool on a baking rack on the sheet pan for 1 hour and up to 8 hours. The bread will continue to get drier and drier, which is perfect for this soufflé.
While the bread cools, combine the eggs and cheese in blender or food processor and process until smooth. Add the sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, zest, salt, milk and cream and blend until smooth.
Butter a large baking dish. Move the bread cubes in a bowl, pouring the custard mixture over and mix, using a large rubber spatula until all of the cubes are submerged in the custard, pressing down to hold them under.
Let sit for 10 minutes, continuing to press the bread down, if needed. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
Once bread has soaked, preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake the soufflé on the middle rack until puffed and the top is golden brown, and the center is slightly soft, 45 minutes. Remove the soufflé from the oven and let cool on a baking rack for 5 minutes.
Pour the orange juice into a small saucepan and cook over high heat until thick and syrupy and reduced to ¼ cup.
Reduce heat to medium, add the maple syrup and bring to a simmer.
Begin whisking in the butter, cube by cube until emulsified. Salt to taste, transfer to a bowl, and keep warm away from the stove.
Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla in a large, chilled bowl and using a balloon whisk, whipping until soft peaks form. Add the sparkling wine and whisk until combined. Serve immediately on top of the warm soufflé drizzled with beurre blanc.
Texture is king of this dish - make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature before starting!
