My mind is really focused on a work project and Louisville right now. So with that in mind, keep yourselves busy with these recipes. Today’s theme: Bourbon Breakfast.

White Peach-Bourbon French Toast with White Peach-Pecan Maple Syrup
Bourbon Ball French Toast
Sourdough French Toast with Orange Bourbon Butter and Spiced Pecans
Croissant French Toast Stuffed With Grilled Peaches

White Peach-Bourbon French Toast with White Peach-Pecan Maple Syrup
6 large eggs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup white peach puree
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 slices day old brioche, sliced 1/2-inch thick
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
White Peach-Pecan Maple Syrup, recipe follows
Mint sprigs, for garnish

Whisk together eggs, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the milk, cream and peach puree and vanilla and whisk until combined. Place brioche in a large baking dish, pour custard over and turn to coat. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick saute pan over high heat. Add 4 slices of the soaked bread and cook until golden brown, flip over and continue cooking until golden brown on the second side. Place 1 slice of the French toast on a plate, ladle some of the peach syrup on top. Top with a second slice of toast and ladle more of the peaches on top. Garnish with a mint sprig.

White Peach-Pecan Maple Syrup:
1 cup pure maple syrup
4 ripe white peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/8ths
1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
1/2 cup bourbon, optional

Heat maple syrup over low heat in a medium saucepan. Add the peaches, pecans and bourbon and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Bourbon Ball French Toast
Batter:
6 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

French Toast:
1 (16-ounce) loaf firm textured bread, preferably a baguette
Canola oil, for frying
Bourbon Vanilla Custard, recipe follows
Chocolate syrup
Kentucky Bourbon Whipped Cream, recipe follows
1 pint fresh sliced strawberries
1 cup toasted pecan halves

For the batter: Beat all batter ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.

For the French Toast: Slice the baguette into 18 thick slices. Soak the slices in the batter for about 3 minutes, turning to coat evenly on each side. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Lift the bread from the batter and place it in the hot pan. Add only enough slices to fit easily in the pan. Saute on both sides until golden brown. Keep warm until all slices have been cooked.

Place 3 slices on each plate. Drizzle with warm Bourbon Vanilla Custard. Garnish with chocolate syrup and Kentucky Bourbon Whipped Cream. Top with sliced strawberries and toasted pecan halves. Serve immediately.

Bourbon Vanilla Custard:
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup Kentucky bourbon

Heat half-and-half and whipping cream in a small saucepan over low heat, until the mixture begins to simmer. Remove from heat and set aside.

Whisk egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a stainless steel bowl for about 2 minutes or until the mixture thickens and lightens in color. Slowly pour the hot cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return the custard to the saucepan and place over low heat. Stir constantly until the mixture reaches 170 degrees F. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and bourbon. Serve immediately or hold over a hot water bath.

Kentucky Bourbon Whipped Cream:
2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
3 tablespoons Kentucky bourbon

Whip cream in well chilled mixing bowl just until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and bourbon and whip just long enough to incorporate. Taste and adjust flavors. Chill until ready for use.

Sourdough French Toast with Orange Bourbon Butter and Spiced Pecans
2 loaves par-baked sourdough baguettes
4 eggs, beaten
Melted butter, for brushing griddle, optional
Orange Bourbon Butter, recipe follows
Spiced Pecans, recipe follows

Preheat a large nonstick griddle or large skillet over high heat. Slice the bread on a diagonal into 1-inch slices. Thoroughly coat the bread with the beaten eggs, but do not soak the bread in the egg mixture—it will fall apart. Lightly brush the griddle with melted butter, if desired. Place the coated bread slices on the griddle. Cook over high heat until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the pan to warm plates. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon Orange Bourbon Butter and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Spiced Pecans. Serve immediately.

Orange Bourbon Butter:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted sweet butter, softened
1 tablespoon bourbon (recommended: Jack Daniels)
2 tablespoons orange zest

Cream butter in a mixer. Add the bourbon and orange zest and mix well. Leave at room temperature and serve with the French toast. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Spiced Pecans:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon ground star anise
1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1 egg white, beaten until foamy

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, mix the sugar and spices and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix the pecan pieces with the egg white until well coated. Add the sugar and spice blend to the pecans and toss together until well coated. Turn the nut mixture out onto a nonstick cookie sheet and bake until nuts are golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool and then chop into small pieces.

Croissant French Toast Stuffed With Grilled Peaches
4 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 peaches
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons sugar
4 croissants, sliced in 1/2 lengthwise
Bourbon Pecan Maple Syrup, recipe follows
Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish

Prepare coals on a grill and let heat reduce to a moderate heat. In a blender, combine eggs, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Blend until the ingredients are smooth. Set aside.

Slice peaches in half and remove the pit. Brush the flesh side of each half with melted butter. Place the peaches on the grill for 5 minutes, or until the flesh side is evenly caramelized and begins to soften. Remove the peaches from the grill and dice them. Transfer to a bowl and add lemon juice and sugar, to taste. Set the peach mixture aside.

Pour the egg batter into a pie plate. Dip the croissant halves into the batter, making sure that each side is coated. Place the croissants on the grill, flat side down. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the batter appears cooked and the croissant begins to darken; watch carefully, as they will cook quickly. Flip the croissants and grill on the other side for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the croissants from the grill.

Place the bottom half of 1 croissant on a plate. Add 1/4 of the peach mixture and place the top half of the croissant over the peaches. Pour Bourbon Pecan Maple Syrup over the top and garnish with fresh mint. Repeat with remaining croissants.

Bourbon Pecan Maple Syrup:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup bourbon
1 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter begins to brown, remove the pan from heat and add bourbon. Flambe the mixture until the alcohol has burned off and then add the syrup and pecans. Return the pan to the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

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3. National Ice Cream Day