Triple-Berry Pie with Pecan Crumb Topping

When I went picking a couple of weeks ago, I saw that tayberries were still available and Marionberries were beginning to ripen.  I decided to pick just a few cups thinking that I'd make berry pies.  I had in mind a pie with crumb toppings after making a double-crust pie already.

So here's what I made with those berries, a triple-berry pie with blueberries, tayberries and Marionberries.  I fell in love with tayberries this summer.  The flavor is more delicate that the other blackberry variety; it's said to have a floral and aromatic flavor.  It's a little bit too late to make jam from tayberry this year but I vow to try it next year.  I'm already thinking of infusing the jam with tea.

My family loves this triple-berry pie because apparently the combo works!  The crumb topping has crunchy pecan and toothsome oats.  Often I have too much crumb topping but I usually put them in a bag and freeze them until I need them again.  Good thing I have a few 4-inch tart pans lined with leftover pie crusts that I stored in the freezer.  The blueberries got made into these little pans with lemon zest, the juice, a few teaspoons of cornstarch, some sprinkling of cinnamon and some sugar.  The tart baked quicker than the whole pie and it's equally as good!

The bottom picture is what my individual blueberry tart looks like.  They're gone in a couple of days!

My advice is to stock up with whipped cream or ice cream to eat these various pies/tarts in the summer!  No wonder I can't store anything else more important in my fridge! :D

Triple-Berry Pie with Pecan Crumb Topping

Serves 8 to 10


1 dough (makes single piecrust) from All-Butter Piecrust, refrigerated


For Filling:
1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries
1 1/4 cups fresh Marionberries
1 1/2 cups fresh tayberries
1/2 cup sugar--taste your berries, if they're particularly sour, add more sugar.  I personally like less sweet of filling
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

For Pecan Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats


Preheat oven to 400 degree F.

On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle.  Drape the dough onto the rolling pin and invert it into a 9-inch pie pan.  Gently tuck the pastry into the pan, without stretching in.  Trim the edges and fold under.  Crimp edges decoratively.  Place in the freezer while you're readying the filling and crumb topping.

Combine the berries in a large bowl.  Fold in sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt.  Mix cornstarch, lemon juice and zest in a small bowl.  Pour into the filling and stir.  Set aside.

Blend flour, grown sugar and salt in a food processor.  Add butter; using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles fine moist clumps.  Add pecans and oats.  Using on/off turns, do a few turn just until nuts and oats are combined.

Take the pie crust and fill it with berry mixture, smooth the mixture with a spoon.  Sprinkle pecan topping evenly over the fruits.  Mound it in the center a bit but do not overfill.  I like just enough crumbs to about 1/4-inch thick around the edges, perhaps.  Freeze the remaining crumbs for the next pie project.

Bake pie at bottom rack for 25-30 minutes.  If necessary, place an old baking pan on the oven floor to catch the juice overflowing from the pie.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degree F.  Continue baking until topping is brown and juices bubble thickly, about 30-40 minutes.  If necessary, tent the topping with foil if it browns too fast.  Cool pie on rack 1 hour.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cream Cheese Marbled Pecan Brownies

I have not done anything with chocolate lately because I was obsessed with fruits of the season.  So when I mentioned to my family that I was going to bake brownies, the resounding yes was heard :D

Yes, cream cheese brownies have been done all over the place and may not gone out of trend but since I have not made it for ages, I think it is safe to say that it is time to test a new recipe.  Besides, who doesn't want to eat brownies anyway?  The recipe looks promising in the beginning and it didn't disappoint at the end.  When my son asked what kind of chocolate I used, it made me think that, as the saying goes, the better the chocolate the better the end result is.  I answered him, yes, I used the good kind because I believe that if my family were to eat high-calorie food, might as well made it with good quality ingredients :)

The brownie part came out moist, fudgy, and has a deep chocolate flavor, the cream cheese has a custardy texture which is soft and creamy, and the pecans add crunchiness to each bit.  It was so good sinking my teeth into it, especially around the edges where there's crispy bits of brownies can be found.

I have a feeling that I will be making this again soon...

Cream Cheese Marbled Pecan Brownies

Makes 40 brownies (small cut) or 24 ( big cut)

1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cu unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degreeF.  Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil about 1 inch over edges of pan.  Grease foil; set pan aside.

In a small mixing bowl beat cream cheese and the 2 tablespoons butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until creamy.  Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Beat in 1 egg and 1 tablespoon flour until combined.  Set aside.

In a medium saucepan heat and stir chocolate and the 3/4 cup butter over low heat until melted and smooth.  Transfer to a large mixing bowl.  Gradually add the 2 1/4 cups sugar, beating on low sped until combined.  Add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.  Beat in milk, vanilla, and almond extract.  In a small bowl stir together the 1 1/4 cups flour, baking powder, and salt.  Gradually beat in flour mixture just until combined.

Pour chocolate batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading evenly.  Spoon cream cheese mixture in mounds on top of chocolate batter.  Using a table knife or narrow metal spatula, gently swirl cream cheese mixture into chocolate batter to marble.  Sprinkle with pecans.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.  Cool in pan on a wire rack.  Using the edges of the foil, lift uncut brownies out of pan.  Cut into bars.

To store:  Place brownies in a single layer in an airtight container; cover.  Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.


Source:  adapted from Better Homes and Gardens: Baking

Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

Hiya....how's it going?  It's been a while since I've posted anything here.  After Christmas baking, I felt that I needed to take a break from going on like an Energizer bunny with sweets.  So I chilled out.  I enjoyed my Christmas break, spent time with my family but also finished all the cookies that were in the freezer.  It was a time well spent and I always believe that's what Christmas time is supposed to be; just hanging out with family and not worry about blogging or anything else.

My son is also is finishing his 8th grade this year so my time consequently is channeled towards school activities.  I can't believe he's grown so much, physically and mentally; a part of me is still wishing that he's about a year old.  That's why I kept his baby photo for my phone's wallpaper :D

About a couple of weeks ago, I slowly started to bake again.  I really wanted to recreate recipes that were posted in old blog but it's a slow going.  I've made some steamed cake--Indonesian style--which didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it to be so that needs a redo.  But I do have this cake which I made just before the break.  It's a Bundt cake--my favorite--that has cream cheese filling, apples and pecans.  Just sort of the cake which is so comforting in the winter time to be paired with warm drinks.  There's a lot of Bundt cake recipe that incorporates cream cheese filling nowadays that I think you've seen this one before.  No matter, I do love the cake and will share the recipe here.

Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

Makes 12 servings


Cream Cheese Filling:
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Apple Cake Batter:
1 cup finely chopped pecans
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups peeled and finely chopped Gala apples (about 1 1/2 lbs.)

Praline Frosting:
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar


Prepare filling:  Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended and smooth.  Add egg, flour and vanilla; beat just until blended.

Prepare batter:  Preheat oven to 350.  Bake pecans in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.  Stir together 3 cups flour and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in eggs and next 3 ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.  Stir in apples and pecans.

Spoon two-thirds of apple mixture into a greased and floured 14-cup Bundt pan.  Spoon Cream Cheese Filling over apple mixture, leaving a 1-inch border around edges of pan.  Swirl filling through apple mixture using a paring knife.  Spoon remaining apple mixture over Cream Cheese Filling.

Bake at 350F for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 2 hours).

Prepare frosting:  Bring 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 3 Tbps. milk to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute, whisking constantly.  Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.  Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth; stir gently 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture begins to cool and thickens slightly.  Pour immediately over cooled cake.


Source:  adapted heavily from Southern Living, November 2015

Apple-Pear Praline Pie

Here I am, back after Thanksgiving break.  I had a great holiday with my parents and I hope you, readers, had a great time with your loved ones.  When it's time to go back to work, I wasn't so excited, but my work schedule is actually not a bad one.  In a about 2 weeks time, I'll have a winter break for two weeks!  

My husband and I finally replaced the igniter in our oven today.  I feel so giddy right now, it's like having a new oven!  For a few weeks I couldn't do any baking nor making any menu because I couldn't forecast whether I'd still have my oven or not.  I could end up having to buy a new one, which I wanted to avoid.  Now I can bake cookies!  More pies!  Make that Dutch pancakes for breakfast!  

Taking apart that old igniter was a pain though, because the old screw has lost its grooves which made it hard to unscrew.  We had to use all kinds of tools, and hoping that it wouldn't break the screw because we still had to reuse it to attach the new igniter.  In the end, the new one got installed; what's supposed to be a 15-minute job took about an hour, yeah, it's never that easy.  When I pushed the button to bake and set the temperature, it seemed like an eternity, but lo and behold, it worked right away without me having to use a fire retardant :)

To end my happy dance, I'm going to share the recipe of apple-pear praline pie.  This was the pie that I made for Thanksgiving day; it was a hit with my family, especially since it's eaten with vanilla ice cream.  My family wasn't a big fan of pumpkin pie anyway so making this was a smarter plan.  We had too much to eat, of course, and I was punished by having some extra pounds packed into my belly.  Oh well, I have 3 weeks of dieting before the food galore starts again :D

Apple-Pear Praline Pie

Makes 8 servings

1 recipe Nut Pastry

¾ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 cups thinly sliced, peeled tart apples

3 cups sliced, peeled pears

2 tablespoons butter, cut up

¼ cup unsalted butter

½ cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons milk or half-and-half

Preheat oven to 375F.  Prepare Nut Pastry.  On a lightly floured surface use your hands to slightly flatten one pastry ball.  Roll it from center to edges into a circle about 12 inches in diameter.  Wrap pastry circle around the rolling pin.  Unroll pastry into a 9-inch pie plate.  Roll remaining ball into a circle about 12 inches in diameter.

In a large bowl, combine granulated sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and dash of salt.  Add apples and pears; gently toss until coated.  Transfer apple mixture to the pastry-lined pie plate.  Dot with the 2 tablespoons butter.  Fold bottom pastry under and crimp as desired.  Roll second pastry circle; with leaf-shape/acorn-shaped/any shape cookie cutter, cut out shapes from second pastry circle.  Arrange cutouts on top of filling.  

To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of pie with foil.  Place a foil-lined baking sheet on the rack below the pie in oven.  Bake for 50 minutes; remove foil.  Bake for 30 to 40 minutes more or until filling is bubbly.  Transfer to a wire rack.

In a small saucepan, melt the ¼ cup butter over medium heat.  Gradually stir in brown sugar and milk.  Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil.  Carefully spoon over baked pie.  Return pie to oven; bake for 2 to 3 minutes more or until topping bubbles.  Cool on wire rack.

Nut Pastry

In a large bowl, stir together 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup ground toasted almonds or pecans, and 1 teaspoon salt.  Using a pastry blender, cut into ¼ cup shortening and ¼ cup unsalted butter, cut up, until pieces are pea size.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon ice water over part of the flour mixture; toss gently with a fork.  Push moistened pastry to one side of bowl.  Repeat moistening flour mixture, using 1 tablespoon ice water at a time, until all of the flour mixture is moistened (½ to ⅔ cup ice water total). Gather flour mixture into a ball, kneading gently until it holds together.  Divide pastry in half; form halves into balls.

Source:  Holiday Recipes Better Homes and Garden 2013

Pecan Lace Cookies

The next treat I made was a mango frozen yogurt and I felt it needs something to go with it.  Something crunchy to contrast with the creamy and smooth texture of the frozen yogurt.  I decided to make these pecan lace cookies.  Lace cookie is a type of cookies that are delicate, very thin and can be rolled or shaped into various forms.  Frankly, I've never attempted to make lace cookies before but I'm alway game to try something new.

Lace cookies are usually made with some kind of ground or finely chopped nuts.  The batter is quite thin and the cookie will spread when baking.  A variety of shapes can be made; when it's round and one side of the cookie is dipped in chocolate, you might know it as florentine cookie.  In this case, my choice of nuts was pecans and since I have quite a bit of palm sugar brought from Indonesia, I thought using it would make an interesting flavor combination.   Palm sugar has a distinct taste, a slightly burnt sugar-caramely aftertaste, and the color of the cookie is very dark.  The edges are brittle while the middle is a bit chewy, this could be another addiction (already thinking of making different kinds).  Overall, these are pretty successful and I played around with the shapes--some resulting in a kind of wavy configuration :)  And these don't last long at my house!

The recipe for mango frozen yogurt will be written soon...

Pecan Lace Cookies

Makes 16 to 20 4-inch cookies



3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 cup packed palm sugar--alternately, use regular brown sugar or light muscovado sugar

1 tablespoon dark rum

1 large egg

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans



Preheat oven to 350 degree F.  Position a rack in the center of the oven.  Plan to bake only one sheet at a time.  Use of silicone mats is highly recommended, it makes baking these cookies so much easier.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter.  Stir in the sugar and remove from the heat.  Add the rum, egg, and salt and beat until smooth.  Stir in the flour and nuts.  Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.  Drop tablespoons of batter about 3 inches apart on one of the lined pans.

Spread the batter very thin (about 1/16 inch) into rounds, oval, or long tongue shapes.

Bake until the cookies are browned all over, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet from front to back halfway through the baking time.  Remove the pan from the oven.  For flat cookies, let cookies cool for 30 seconds before transferring them to a rack to cool.  If the cookies are to be shaped, let rest for 30 seconds, then slide an offset spatula under each and shape as desired by draping the cookies over a rolling pin, nestling them into a cup, rolling them into cornets, or pinching or twisting them into any desired shape before they cool.  Cool completely before storing.  May be kept in an airtight container for at least 1 week.



Source:  adapted from Chewy, Gooey, Crispy, Crunchy, Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich

Banana Pecan Whoopie Pie with Salty Peanut Butter Filling

My first time trying out whoopie pie; the prediction?  I like this combo, banana-pecan with salted peanut butter filing. Don't expect crunchy cookies, these are soft cookies, more like cake than cookies.  The book that I refer to is an excellent book for whoopie pies.

Banana Pecan Whoopie Pie with Salty Peanut Butter Filling

Makes about 48 two-inch cakes

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 tablespoons vegetable shortening

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degree F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift together both flours, baking soda, and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper.

In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, shortening, sugar, and vanilla until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs and beat until combined.

Add the bananas and the pecans and beat on medium for about 2 minutes, until completely combined.

Using a spoon, drop about 1 tablespoon of batter onto one of the prepared baking sheets and repeat, spacing them at least 2 inches apart.  Bake one sheet at a time for about 10 minutes each, or until the cakes begin to brown.  Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool on the sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

Salty Peanut Butter Filling

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

3/4 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter

3/4 cup (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the peanut butter and butter on low speed until smooth and creamy.  Add the confectioners' sugar and the salt and beat on low to incorporate.  Increase the speed to medium and beat until the filling is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.

Source: Whoopie Pies:  Dozens of Mix 'em, Match 'em, Eat 'em Up Recipes by Sarah Billingsley and Amy Treadwell

Pecan Oatmeal Waffles

It is the night before the Thanksgiving day, and I am sure everyone can't wait until tomorrow.  Tomorrow is the day to eat turkey, gravy, stuffing, Brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce, and pies, lots of pies.  I don't cook turkey for Thanksgiving feast since my husband refuse to eat the bird in no matter what shape it is prepared.  We don't miss it that much and I, invariably, cook non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner.  Some year it will be Chinese food, other year, Indonesian food.  This year, I'm cooking milk fish soup; it's called pindang bandeng.  The soup is simple yet delicious, eaten with steamed rice, padi crackers, and chili paste; it's a feast for us.

But, this post actually is not about the soup; rather it is about what you might want to make for breakfast the morning after Thanksgiving.  Originally the recipe didn't call for pecan, but pecan sounded wonderful in waffles, did it?  It added crunch and delightful aroma to otherwise already crisp and spice infused waffles.  The blackberry curd that accompanied the waffles was an added touch that I thought was perfect.  I had a surplus of blackberries from last summer and I made about 2 cups of curds that I stored in the freezer.   I think any different curd will work out as well.  I used my raspberry curd that was posted in my old food blog, click here for the recipe.  Instead of raspberry, I use blackberry with that recipe.

The way to serve these waffles is easy.  After the waffles are cooked, slather some blackberry curd in the middle.  Place them in a plate and drizzle maple syrup on top.  I'm sure this is a breakfast for the champion!  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Pecan Oatmeal Waffles

Makes 8 servings

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

7 large eggs

4 cups buttermilk

1/3 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

Combine the first seven ingredients in a large bowl.  Make a well in the middle of the mixture.

Combine eggs with the buttermilk and mix well; pour this into the dry mixture.  Stir until it's almost combined, pour in the melted butter and then mix just until the butter is worked in.  Refrigerate the mixture for 12 hours.

Preheat the waffle iron.  Stir in chopped pecans to the batter.  Pour about 3/4 cup of batter into the waffle iron and cook until they are golden, crisp, and cooked through.  Serve with blackberry curd and maple syrup.

Source: adapted from Breakfast & Brunches by The Culinary Institute of America

Baked Butter-Pecan French Toast with Blueberry Syrup

I can't believe it's Wednesday already, the whole week has gone by quickly.  The month of May has almost ended, before we know it summer is here.  I definitely am happier with more light during the day, it's just so much easier to take photos for my blog.  The flowers are also in bloom in my garden though I haven't had time to tidy up my yard after some rain that came during these two days.  I have several Globe allium that are blooming in front of my living room window, their color is unbelievably beautiful.  I'm glad I planted those bulbs a long time ago, they propagated slowly but surely they're coming up more by numbers each year.

The weekend of Memorial Day is fast approaching and my family and I are looking forward to it.  My husband and I are going to celebrate our 15th anniversary and we are planning to go to Lincoln City beach for the weekend with my son and also our friend and his family.  They are coming for Seattle and we will see them at the beach on Friday.  We are renting a condo by the beach not far from Moe's restaurant which has a trail near it.  We will surely have a good time, I'm hoping the weather will also behave that weekend.  My other friend from church will also be staying at the beach that weekend, maybe I could see her and her family.

My husband is planning what to bring, in terms of food, to the beach and he is actively discussing it with his friend.  I know we are going to bring our rice cooker and some rice, for we love our rice so much that a rice cooker goes on a vacation too :)  Hubby is also suggesting making certain food to bring to the beach, my reaction is to go along with his plan.  I know I will be busy the days before Friday but I don't mind at all.

For breakfast, hubby is suggesting that I make black glutinous rice and mung bean porridge, both are traditional breakfast/snack dishes for Indonesian.  These are very fulfilling and comfort food, not terrible healthy if using lots of palm sugar and/or granulated sugar, but still they are a favorite.  Speaking of breakfast, I'm ready to share a comforting breakfast dish that is a bit familiar to American people.  It is French toast though this is not regular French toast.  The way this is cooked is almost the same as bread pudding, very moist with milk, butter, and eggs.  What is the difference between French toast and bread pudding anyway, come breakfast time, you will not mind eating one or the other.  The end result will remind you of sticky bun flavor, with toasted pecans and fragrantly infused with brown sugar and nutmeg.

Baked Butter-Pecan French Toast with Blueberry Syrup

Serves 6



For French toast:

1 (24-inch-long) baguette

6 large eggs

2 cups whole milk

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla exract

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup pecans, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped

For syrup:

1 cup blueberries

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice



Make the French toast: Generously butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.  Cut twenty 1-inch-thick slices from baguette and arrange in one layer in baking dish.

Whisk together eggs, milk, 3/4 cup brown sugar, nutmeg, and vanilla in a large bowl until well combined and pour evenly over bread.  Let bread soak for 10 minutes.  Turn slices over and cover surface with a large sheet of plastic wrap, leaving a 3-inch overhang on each end of baking dish.  If necessary, place a smaller baking dish on top to keep bread submerged.  Refrigerate mixture until all liquid is absorbed, at least 8 hours.

Put a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine butter, remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, salt, and cream in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Stir in pecans.

Spoon pecan mixture evenly over bread.  Bake until bread is puffed, edges are slightly browned, and liquid is absorbed, 40 to 45 minutes.

Make the syrup: Combine blueberries and maple syrup in a small saucepan and cook over moderate heat until berries burst, about 3 minutes.  Stir in lemon juice.

Serve French toast with syrup.



Source:  Gourmet Today