It’s Christmas Eve and we’re spending the day watching The Christmas Story, decorating cookies for Santa and wrapping gifts. After being sick all last week I finally managed to have enough energy to workout this morning. But the best part of today? We’re in Florida visiting my family and it’s 64 degrees!
My mom has been cooking non-stop since we arrived on Monday. But the holidays wouldn’t be complete without good food and amazing recipes. Another fun tradition is hosting Christmas day brunch. It’s always a nice touch when hosting guests to wake up, open gifts and have a selection of breakfast and lunch options.
My friends from Heilala Vanilla (pronounced “hey-la-la”) sent me the most delicious Christmas day brunch recipes. Heilala Vanilla is of the Bourbon variety, often called Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla. Madagascar variety are considered to be the best quality, described as creamy, sweet, and rich.
What makes Heilala Vanilla unique? Grown in organic virgin soil on coconut husk frames, hand pollinated and dried under the Pacific sun, Heilala Vanilla is stored at optimum conditions to ensure the development of full flavor before heading to Tauranga, New Zealand where it is used to make a range of the most exquisite, premium vanilla products for specialty retail, chefs and gourmet food manufacturers.
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Blueberry Vanilla French Toast
- 12 slices day old bread( crusts removed)
- 2 8oz. pkgs. cream cheese
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- 12 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 1/3 cup syrup or honey ( we used Heilala Vanilla Syrup)
For the Sauce:
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (we used Heilala Vanilla extract)
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 Tbsp butter or margarine
Instructions:
- Cut bread into 1-in. cubes; place half in a greased 13″x9″x2″baking dish.
- Cut cream cheese into 1″ cubes; place over bread.
- Top with blueberries and remaining bread. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add milk and syrup; mix well. Pour over bread mixture.
- Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.
- Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake 350 for 30 minutes.
- Uncover; bake 25-30 minutes more or until golden brown & center is set.
- In saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch; add water. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil for 3 minuets; stirring constantly.
- Stir in blueberries reduce heat. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until berries have burst. Stir in butter until melted and add vanilla extract. Serve over French toast.
Passion Fruit and Vanilla Loaf
A version of a pound cake with tropical flavours including the much loved seductive vanilla.
Serves: 8
For the Batter:
- ¾ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup super fine sugar
- grated zest of 2 oranges
- 1 teaspoon Heilala Vanilla Extract or Heilala Vanilla Paste
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
For the Glaze:
- ½ cup passion fruit juice (use 6 large passion fruit)
- ¼ cup Heilala Vanilla Sugar
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 330 degrees (F). Line the base of a 8 x 4 x 2 ½ loaf tin with baking paper. Grease and flour the sides of the loaf tin.
- Place the butter, sugar, orange zest and vanilla into a bowl and, using an electric beater, beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated.
- Sift together the flour and baking powder and fold into the creamed mixture. Spoon into the prepared tin.
- Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow loaf to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile prepare the glaze: to juice the passion fruit, cut in half and scoop the pulp into a sieve set over a bowl, pressing the pulp to separate the seeds from the juice. Add the sugar to the bowl of juice and just stir together (you do not want to dissolve the sugar).
- Loosen the loaf from its tin, remove the baking paper and sit it on a large plate.
- Pierce the loaf all the way through with a wooden skewer, piercing several times, (at least 50). Spoon half of the glaze over the loaf. Turn loaf onto its side and spoon over glaze. Repeat on the other side with the remaining glaze.
- Serve warm.
Blueberry Brown Butter Tart
Courtesy of Chef Joanne Weir
This tart is so decadent and delicious, yet not too sweet. Try making it with Heilala Vanilla. It is grown in the Vava’u Islands in the Kingdom of Tonga and has the most incredible flavor. I think it is the best vanilla in the world.
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon Heilala vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup flour, sifted
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 Short Crust Tart Shell, 9-inch diameter, prebaked
- 1 cup blueberries
For the Topping:
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 1/2 cups blueberries
- 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
Instructions:
- Whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla extract until combined.
- Sift the flour onto the top and mix well. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan over medium high heat, melt the butter until it is foamy. Continue to heat the butter until the foam begins to subside, it begins to turn brown, just starts to smoke and gives off a nutty aroma.
- Whisking continuously, pour the hot butter in a steady stream into the egg mixture, combining well. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- Preheat an oven to 350°F. Sprinkle the bottom of the prebaked tart shell evenly with 1 cup blueberries.
- Pour the brown butter mixture over the blueberries, filling the shell two-thirds full. Bake until the filling is firm to the touch, 45 to 55 minutes. Let the tart cool completely.
- For the topping, bring the water and 1 1/2 cups sugar to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Boil for 30 seconds.
- Place the blueberries in a colander set over a bowl. Pour the syrup over the berries coating the blueberries completely, allowing the excess to run into the bowl. Shake the colander to remove excess syrup. Mound the berries onto the cooled tart covering the entire top.
- Just before serving, sift powdered sugar over the top.
Vanilla & Citrus Cured Salmon
The vanilla and citrus flavours infuse the cured salmon to produce a delicious and tasty alternative to cold smoked salmon.
- 1.1 lb. salmon fillet
- 3 tablespoons vodka or sake
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup sea salt
- 1 Heilala Vanilla Bean
- ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Instructions:
- Trim the salmon and remove the pin bones. Place the salmon on sever large sheets of plastic wrap.
- Combine the vodka or sake, sugar, salt, vanilla bean seeds and lemon zest and rub the mixture into the salmon flesh.
- Cover the salmon with plastic wrap and place it in a shallow ceramic or glass dish. Place another flat ceramic or glass dish on top of the salmon and weight the top dish with several heavy cans.
- Refrigerate for 2 days. Once the salmon is cured it will be firm and intense dark pink. Wash of the cure mixture and pat the salmon dry with paper towels.
- Slice into paper- thin slices against the salmon’s natural grain to serve.
- Serves 8 as an appetizer.
