Brunch With The Girls

Last weekend I had the opportunity to assistant our chef with a recreational class that he was teaching called, 'Four Star Breakfasts'. It was a rather interesting class full of some rather interesting people but the best thing about it was the food! All of the dishes that my "team" of students made were really, really good and so today, I decided to host a little brunch of my own, with some lovely ladies from my pastry class, and make one of the dishes that we made last week, Croissant French Toast filled with Goat Cheese, Herbs and Champagne Grapes...I think I just gained five pounds. Now I know that the combination sounds a little funny, I mean goat cheese and grapes, in croissants?! However, I promise you it is really good.

If you have never heard of Champagne grapes, they are a hybrid-type of grape that are really, really tiny. They are sweet and delicate and just burst with flavor in your mouth.


Aren't they cute?!

If you can't find Champagne grapes, you could easily substitute berries or another type of fruit; just as you could substitute cream cheese for the goat cheese (I did today...).

CROISSANT FRENCH TOAST FILLED WITH GOAT CHEESE, HERBS AND CHAMPAGNE GRAPES
Adapted from Chef Chad Pagano
Serves 4

2/3 cups half-and-half
3 eggs
1/3 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 ounces goats cheese (or cream cheese)
2 tablespoons finely chopped herbs (I like to use Italian-parsley)
4 day-old croissants
1 cups Champagne grapes (or berries)
2 tablespoons butter

To Serve:
Powdered sugar
Whipped cream
Warm maple syrup

Whisk the half-and-half, eggs, juice, sugar, vanilla, orange zest and cinnamon in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, combine herbs and cheese and use a spoon to stir till smooth and spreadable.


Cut a three-inch slit into the croissants along the side and with your fingers, make a wee little pocket and stuff the croissant with the cheese mixture and about 1/4 cup of grapes.

Heat a large fry-pan on medium-heat and melt 1 tablespoon of the butter; then as you would regular French toast, lightly soak the filled croissants in the egg mixture. When the butter is melted, fry two croissants at a time in the skillet till golden brown on both sides. Repeat with the other two croissants. Serve with lightly whipped cream, powdered sugar and warm maple syrup.