Raspberry-Rhubarb Sauce over Chocolate Chip French Toast

Published April 21, 2016 by expepicurean

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, I wanted to come up with a special breakfast that wouldn’t be too hard to make, even if you were making it for a crowd. I started with a springtime favorite – rhubarb – and built a recipe around it. The result: Raspberry-Rhubarb Sauce over Chocolate Chip French Toast. Hungry yet?

The Raspberry-Rhubarb Sauce can be made ahead of time, simplifying prep on Mother’s Day. Simply bring frozen rhubarb, raspberries, sugar, and water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes longer or until the fruit has reduced to a thick syrup. Once it is cooled, a bit of maple extract is stirred in, creating the perfect French toast topper.

I decided to serve it over not just any French toast, but chocolate chip French toast. I simply couldn’t pass up this chocolate chip brioche, which once dunked into a simple custard, fried up to a delectable French toast. Topped with the raspberry-rhubarb sauce, the French toast turned into a dish any mom would be happy to be served as a celebratory breakfast (or brunch), and it certainly is a hit with the kiddos!

Raspberry Rhubarb Sauce

6 ounces frozen, sliced rhubarb
6 ounces frozen raspberries
3/4 cups white sugar
½ cup water
1 tablespoon maple extract

Add the frozen rhubarb, raspberries, sugar, and water to a large sauce pan and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes longer or until the fruit has reduced to a thick syrup. Once it is cooled, stir in the maple extract. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Chocolate Chip French Toast

4 large eggs
1 cup half and half
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons butter
8 slices chocolate chip brioche, ~ 1-inch thick each

In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, half and half, and salt and pour into a shall dish such as an 8×8 casserole dish. Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet, then dip two of the brioche slices, evenly coating both sides, into the egg custard and then add to the skillet. Fry bread for 1.5 – 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Remove from the pan and keep warm, and repeat with the remaining slices of brioche. Serve warm with the raspberry-rhubarb sauce.

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Rhubarb & Apricot Compote Parfait

Published June 12, 2014February 1, 2015 by expepicurean

What is one of the best ways to sneak an extra serving of vegetables in at breakfast or dessert? Pretend the vegetable is a fruit!

Rhubarb is actually a vegetable, despite its famous use in strawberry-rhubarb pie. It is also delicious in savory dishes, but one of my favorite ways to eat it is in compote form, which is just a fancy way of saying a sauce you can use like a jam or finishing syrup.

First, I chopped the rhubarb (just the stalks, not the toxic leaves) into approximately 1 inch slices,

Then I chopped a few fresh apricot, adding sweetness, color, and great flavor to the mix.

The fruit, along with honey, water and a vanilla bean were all added to a large pot and simmered together for a few minutes. The vanilla adds a lovely undertone, but if you don’t have any handy, this compote will still be scrumptious if you skip it – I promise.

The end result is a sweet-tart, delicious mixture that is the consistency of thick applesauce.

Once it cooled, I layered it generously with some Greek style vanilla yogurt and topped it off with my favorite granola.

This has been a great way to start my day this week, and soo easy to put together. It even did double duty as dessert one night!

Rhubarb & Apricot Compote Parfait
Compote
1 lb fresh rhubarb, chopped in 1 inch slices
½ lb fresh apricots (about 4), pitted and chopped
½ cup clover honey
½ cup water
1 vanilla bean

Parfait
Rhubarb-apricot compote
20 oz of Greek style vanilla yogurt
granola for garnish (optional)

Add the rhubarb, apricots, honey and water to a large pot. Scrape the seeds out of the center of the vanilla bean, and add both the seeds and the pod to the pot. Place the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for another 15-20 minutes or until the rhubarb has started to soften. Remove from the heat, remove the vanilla pod from the pot, and let the rhubarb mixture cool. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Makes ~2.5 cups of compote.

To make the parfait, layer equal amounts of the Rhubarb & Apricot Compote and Greek style vanilla flavored yogurt in a glass. Garnish with granola and serve. Makes 5 parfaits.

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