Surprise Ingredient Adds Elegance – along with Sweet,
Smooth Flavor – to Holiday Recipes

Passover Seder and Easter Brunch get boost from vanilla

WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS - (March 18, 2009) - Casual cooks and professional chefs alike know that nothing brings people to the kitchen as quickly as the fresh aroma of warm baked goods. And nothing enhances the aroma – and flavor – of a dish more than smooth, creamy, sweet vanilla. Madagascar Bourbon vanilla, with its 300 complex flavors, is among the purest in the world, adding an extra touch of elegance to your holiday meals.

Whether your family will celebrate Easter (Sunday, April 12th) or Passover (sundown Wednesday, April 8th to sundown Thursday, April 16th), crème brûlée, made with Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla, will add elegance and flavor to your menu. Recipes for two versions of this luxurious favorite are provided below.

Easter Brunch

For families celebrating Easter, getting brunch on the table on time can be difficult when church services run long. Assemble this baked French toast recipe on Saturday night to make Sunday morning kitchen prep a breeze. This recipe is convenient for busy families and still offers delicate flavor thanks to an extra measure of pure vanilla extract.

Crème Brûlée French Toast
½ cup (1 stick) butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
6 (about) slices Italian bread, ½ inch thick
5 eggs
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ cup Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Sugar

Combine the butter, corn syrup and 1 cup brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the butter is melted, stirring frequently. Pour over the bottom of a 1-quart baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the bread slices over the brown sugar mixture so that the bead fits snugly in the dish.

Whisk the eggs, cream, salt, vanilla extract and Grand Marnier in a bowl. Pour evenly over the bread. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and chill for 8 hours or over night.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle 1/4 cup brown sugar and ¼ cup vanilla sugar over the top of the layers. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serves 6.

Passover Seder
Jewish families following the dietary guidelines of Passover are required to avoid foods that contain grains that have been allowed to rise – but it doesn’t have to mean avoiding great flavor. Gourmet food specialists report contemporary Jewish families are looking for new dishes to add to their Passover menus. Crème Brûlée, a Kosher dish, provides a sweetly elegant ending to any Passover meal, including the Passover Seder.

Crème Brûlée
2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Pure Vanilla Beans
3 egg yolks
1 egg
¼ cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
Blueberries (or any fresh berries) for garnish

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter six 4-ounce ramekins. Combine the cream, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and the vanilla beans in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cook until heated through and steam is rising, stirring constantly.

Whisk the egg yolks, egg, ¼ cup granulated sugar and the salt in a large bowl. Remove vanilla beans from the hot cream mixture, then temper the eggs with the mixture, stirring after each addition of the hot cream mixture. Pour evenly into the ramekins.

Place the ramekins in a 9x13-inch baking pan. Fill the pan with enough hot water to reach approximately one-third of the way up the side of each ramekin. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until set. Let stand until cool. Chill, covered, until ready to serve.

Combine ¼ cup granulated sugar and the brown sugar in a bowl and mix well. Sprinkle evenly over the top of each crème brûlée. Torch the top of each ramekin to caramelize the sugars or place the ramekins on a broiler pan and broil until the sugar caramelizes. Garnish with blueberries and serve. Serves 6.

Note: Tempering is slowly adding hot liquid to raw eggs to raise their temperature without causing them to curdle.

Photos of both dishes are available upon request. A review copy of Century of Flavor, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas cookbook, and photos of both dishes mentioned above are available upon request.

CONTACT:
Gardi Wilks, gwilks@savoragency.com,
Savor – The Food Agency, 847-556-7511

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