Irresistible
When I was of grade school age, school didn’t begin till after Labor Day, but since Sydney was small school started before that long weekend that proclaimed Summer had officially ended. As I watch all the children with their new lunch boxes and uniforms waiting for the bus I can’t help but go back in time to Sydney’s first day of kindergarten. I was not ready for her to begin venturing out to school, and even now as she begins her second year in college I still have a pain in my heart as she goes back to her campus, however breakfast is not the difficulty it was those first few weeks so long ago. I wanted, like most parents, to send my little one off to school with a good breakfast, but between having to be out the door by 6:55 AM, getting lunch packed, and being completely put together a” normal” breakfast sometimes seemed impossible. Then one morning Sydney woke up earlier than she needed to and bounced down the stairs to catch me eating a piece of Strawberry Angel Food Cake and asked why she couldn’t have a piece
How could this not help thinking till lunch
I thought why not, I placed some strawberries in a little bowl with a dollop of crème frâiche, voila! The fastest, yet healthy breakfast was discovered! Okay I realize most parents would question my choice, and believe me I never had so many grade school parents calling me to vent their frustration. One very annoyed parent actually requested I inform her son cake is not a suitable breakfast. With as much restraint I could mustard up I explained Angel Food Cake basically consists of egg whites (per protein), plus the strawberries with crème frâiche added fruit and the milk group. She slowly settled down, but explained her household did not have crème frâiche as staple. I asked her if she had sour cream or buttermilk she could substitute the crème frâiche with sour cream or with buttermilk and cream assemble homemade crème frâiche over a weekend in minutes. The parent politely said “goodbye” and later I learned from the grade school gossip squad there was another child enjoying Angel Food Cake for breakfast.
I am not advocating Angel food Cake every morning, but once or twice a week is fine. Yes I did check with my pediatrician and nutritionist, whom happens to be a friend of mine, in fact since I was baking my own and adding naturally strawberry flavoring she praised my innovation. The credit actually belongs to Sydney’s deceptive work.
Crème Frâiche:
1-cup heavy cream
2-teaspoons buttermilk
Prepare your mise en place. Have a 170 grams/6-0unce bottle ready
Heat heavy cream with 2 teaspoons of buttermilk to a temperature of 84ºF to 97ºF. Pour in a glass jar shake a few times and leave at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours, till thick. The cream fraiche should be stored in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks.
Thicken best at temperature of 26 degrees C/ 70 degrees F – 30 degrees C/84 degrees.
Voila!
