The Dark Side of Angel Food - Angel Toast

Angel food cake....  That "lighter than air" pastry usually adorn with heavenly clouds of freshly whipped cream....

But there is a darker side to Angel Food.... 

Dipped in a rich, egg laden batter and fried up all crispy; then topped, yet again, with copious quantities of Whipped Cream.  Utter decadence.  So cross over to the dark side...  We have Angel Toast.

Angel Toast

2/3 cup Half and Half
2 large Eggs
1 tsp Sugar
Pinch of Kosher Salt
1/8 to 1/4 tsp Cinnamon, depending on your taste
10-12 slices of Angel Food Cake

For Serving:

Whipped Cream
Fresh Fruit, Fruit Preserves or Lemon Zest

Cut up your cake into 3/4 inch slices.

Grab 2 Baking Sheets and 2 Cooling Racks.....

One will go in the oven, set at 300 F degrees.

The other will assist in draining your soaked Angel Food Cake slices.

In a bowl, whisk the Half and Half, Eggs, Sugar, Salt and Cinnamon together until well blended.

Pour the mixture into a 10 inch pie plate (this allows for multiple pieces at a time)

Begin dipping each piece, for 5 seconds on one side, then flip and let set for 5 seconds more (Angel Cake doesn't take as long as Bread does, to absorb the liquid)

Place each dipped piece on the draining rack and allow excess to drain away.

While the cake is draining, heat your electric skillet (it just makes things easier) to medium high, then drizzle Olive oil in the skillet.

Lay about 4 - 5 pieces of cake in the skillet and sear for 3 minutes....

Turn and sear 3 minutes more.

Move seared pieces to the warm baking sheet in the oven, to finish off the cooking.

Continue in the same way until you are done searing all the toast and the last pieces have been placed in the oven on the rack.

Turn the oven "off" and let the "toast" set in the oven for an additional 10 minutes.....

Serve with Whipped Cream and Lemon zest, or fresh fruit, if desired.

Mangia!!
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Roman Toast - Giving French Toast it's Due

Though it poses under many names, just as the legendary Dutch Baby, "French Toast" as we know it was first mentioned by Apicius back in the days of Rome.

"Break fine white bread, crust removed, into rather large pieces which soak in milk [and beaten eggs], Fry in oil, cover with honey and serve." --Apicius Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome, edited and translated by Joseph Dommers Vehling , recipe 296 (p. 172)

Even the French originally referred to this application of Milk and Egg to day old bread as "pain a la Romaine" (Roman Bread), though now it is commonly known as "pain perdu" (Lost Bread); being a way to salvage old bread before it ends up in the "garbage". (hmmm, another French word)

So HOW is it that in America we call it French Toast? Your guess is as good as mine. LOL I mean, French toast shows up in Mrs. Lincoln's Boston Cook Book as Egg Toast or Bread Sauteed in 1884. So where does the "French" come in?

My assumption is that somehow, just as with French Fries or "Frenched" Fries (which are actually from Belgium) it was a shortening of the term "Toast in the manner of the French". Which kind of makes Ney & Jones look like idiots for over-reacting to France's disapproval of the 2003 invasion of Iraq with their "Freedom" Fry/Toast movement in the House Cafeterias. I think they should have given the toast it's due and simply referred to it as "Roman Toast". Not as "Patriotic" to be sure, but much less Patridiotic in the long run.

I'm just sayin'. (yeah, I know, I'm always "just sayin' somethin" and someday it's gonna get me in trouble) ;)

But be it known as French Toast, Freedom Toast, Arme Riddere, Poor Knights of Windsor, Gypsy Toast, Torrija, Nun's Toast, Lost Bread, Fattiga Riddare, Spanish Toast, Pain a la Romaine, German Toast, Wentelteefjes or Bread Sauteed, it is positively exquisite. That toasted exterior hiding the creamy custard like interior with a hint of sweet cinnamon. So delicious, in fact, that it spawned the famous Monte Cristo Sandwich. So I say, eat several slices as a part of your "nutritionally complete breakfast".

Roman Toast

1 day old Bread; Preferably a "long" loaf you can slice
1 cup Half & Half
3 Large Eggs
1 TB Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
pinch of Kosher Salt

Slice the bread into 3/4 inch slices (Take the 8 largest ones from the center and use the rest for bread crumbs)

Preheat oven to 375 and place a cooling rack on a baking sheet; place in the oven (for finishing off the toast)

Whisk Half & Half, Eggs, Sugar, Cinnamon and Salt in a small bowl.

Pour this mixture into a 9 or 10 inch pie plate.

Set up a second cooling rack on a sheet pan for draining.

Dip each slice of bread into the mixture and let it soak for 20 seconds before turning and allowing to soak for 20 more seconds.

Move each saturated piece to the draining rack and let set for a couple minutes to allow the bread to finish absorbing the "batter".

Meanwhile, begin heating a skillet with 1 TB of Olive oil (Yes, olive oil, not butter; that is for the topping when you eat it) LOL

Place 3-4 slices in the skillet and sear for 2-3 minutes, before turning.

Then sear 2-3 minutes on the second side as well.

Move the finished toasts to the oven while continuing with the remaining slices. (add another TB of oil if needed)

Serve with your choice of toppings, such as Maple Syrup, Whipped Cream and Fresh Fruit...

Or my personal favorite... Butter, a Lemon Wedge and a sprinkle of Confectioners' Sugar .

Or, like my mom, A LOT of Confectioners' Sugar.... it all depends on taste.

Mangia!!
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