Cranberry and Walnut Compound Butter on French Toast
The flavors of the season in one little pat of butter; this Cranberry and Walnut Compound Butter on French Toast can make a morning extra special.
Christmas seems to have come early for me this year. A ring of the bell, no one there but luckily I spy a package on the stoop. As I bent to retrieve the box and noticed it was from the Irish Dairy Board, I quickly looked up and down the street for Santa or even fairies; I knew what this was and it was a present…for ME!
It’s no secret I love Kerrygold. Long before I even knew they had butter, we had discovered Dubliner cheese and it’s nutty flavor means it’s not only a favorite to have on hand for snacking but it’s often our go to cheese in lieu of Parmesan, it’s that good. I even made some macaroni and cheese I dubbed ‘Golden Mac and Cheese’ in honor of how fabulous it is with Kerrygold Dubliner in it.
I grew up in a family that used margarine; I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that the first time I tried butter I was not a fan. Times have changed and now I’m not just a fan but I’m picky about butter…it’s all Kerrygold’s fault. Try these Brown Butter Molasses Chocolate Chip Cookies and you’ll see why. I blame the butter.
So back to the box. Inside a cooled container were tubs of new Kerrygold products; their Naturally Softer and Reduced Fat Butters. Though their regular butter is considered perfect for baking; I recently had some that was softened sitting on my counter and I spread it on my morning toast. I even tweeted about how good it was.
Oh my gosh…do you think they created these products just for me? Shh…don’t burst my bubble; I am going to presume that’s exactly how it went down (forget that just happened two weeks ago…they have fairies, they work FAST!).
I am one of several bloggers that have been invited to compete in a contest using these new products, developed more specifically for use other than baking so I thought developing a compound butter would be fun. I don’t do a lot of these things. I consider myself a creative cook but not a recipe developer. I don’t sit and plan and put together ingredients; I just do. And so I hoped I wouldn’t be sorry that I accepted this challenge.
Luckily I found my inspiration from a cocktail. That’s right…I was using cranberries to create a new cocktail and it hit me how appropriate it would be to combine both the butter and the berries I love. And I mean LOVE. After years of that canned mess; from the first recipe I ever made using fresh berries I’ve been hooked.
My first thoughts went to cranberries and maple syrup but I’ve done that before with cranberry sauce and wanted something a bit more unique. Orange? Sort of typical with cranberries but that’s because it is so good and I thought the zest would be pretty with the candied berries I was now planning to use. But it’s the walnuts that put this over the top.
After covering the finished product, it was back in the fridge to cool and I had some time to think how best to serve it. Truth is, this butter would be good on a cracker but I wanted something more. And that something more became French toast. Another sort of ‘just do’ moment in that I had half a loaf of French bread leftover from last night’s dinner. I could count on one hand how often I’ve actually had French bread for French toast so it sort of called to me; all I had to do was answer!
Perfect as is but in our family French toast without maple syrup just does not happen so I took the dish one step further and made some cranberry compote with a touch of maple syrup. Why have I never done this before?? This would be a perfect breakfast dish for a holiday gathering but in the meantime? I’m calling it dinner!
PIN ‘Cranberry Walnut Compound Butter’
French Toast with Toasted Walnut, Orange, Cranberry and Brown Sugar Compound Butter
Ingredients
For the Butter:
- 4 oz 1/2 tub of Kerrygold Naturally Softer Pure Irish Butter
- ¼ cup toasted walnuts
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
- 3-4 Tbsp of minced fresh cranberries
For the Cranberry Compote:
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
Instructions
To Make the Butter:
- Combine the Kerrygold butter, toasted walnuts, brown sugar and 1 tsp of orange zest in a food processor
- Process until smooth.
- Remove butter from processor and fold in minced cranberries
- Divide into (2) 4 oz containers; garnish with additional zest and a fresh cranberry
- Chill until firm
To Make the Cranberry Compote:
- Combine water, syrup and sugar in medium saucepan and heat on medium until sugar is dissolved.
- Add cranberries and cook on medium until they pop; approximately 3-4 minutes. Cool.
- Reserve 2 Tbsp of whole berries
- Combine remainder of berries and syrup in processor and process to desire consistency.
- Place French toast on plate, add a dollop of butter and finish with some cranberry compote
Notes
I received these butters at no cost from Kerrygold. All recipes and commentary are mine.
Wow, thank you so much for sharing this beautiful recipe at Five Flu Fighting Foods last week (breakfast link up). I have selected you as one of my top three favorite recipes from the link up and you will be featured tomorrow! I hope you stop by to see Green Tea recipes for our 3rd week of the series! Thanks again!
And thank you Nikki. I don’t think I have anything with Green Tea in it…but thanks for the offer. Guess I need to hop on that huh?
What a great combination! It’s funny because, before this challenge from Kerrygold, I had never made a compound butter before–but I had mixed in seasonings and dried fruits or veggies into cream cheese. Why not butter, too? Nice job!
Thanks Carrie; I’ve only done garlic and sage butter. I’m going to do another I hope with the lowfat butter. I hope!
I have never done much with fresh cranberries (dried is another story) but this recipe is enough to make me want to purchase a few pounds! I think this is a perfect Christmas morning recipe. Thanks for linking up to our Flu-Fighting Foods, and we’d love to see you tomorrow with a green tea recipe!
Anne…I think if you start you’ll see why I love them so much. Make your own cranberry sauce…it’s just so delicious!
My guess is… if I made this for my boyfriend tomorrow, we’d be married the next day. Ha! Looks amazing.
Well, if you want to be married…this seems a pretty easy way to accomplish that huh? Go for it girl!
This compound butter is just divine. I have been dreaming of your French toast since I saw it earlier this week. Oh my goodness…need some now. I also adore Kerrygold!!xx
This was sooooo good. Making more this weekend and will try not to finish it off in two days like I did the other. Yes, I did.
Delicious & Decadent!! Sunday morning breakfast Here.I.come.
Do it! The key for me was in toasting the walnuts. Even in season without cranberries, I will be doing more ‘toasted walnut’ butter.
OMG!! I have to make this delicious compound butter now. I think we share the same enthusiasm for KerryGold 🙂
What’s not to love right? They just have a great product and are great to work with. Win win for all.
What a fantastic recipe, Barb. The flavors in that French toast are so tempting and that compound butter sounds ridiculously good!
I’m not kidding when I had to slap myself to stop ‘tasting’ it straight. But even better on the French toast I have to admit!
Lovely recipe Barb! I so wish I could have some delivered for breakfast 🙂
I’ve said before the only problem with Twitter is getting to know people you just wish you could have over for a cup of coffee but distance makes it impossible. I only wish I could deliver some to you for breakfast. Could I feed the chickens? 🙂
french toast never sounded so delicious! the cranberry compote sounds divine!
Thanks An; it was seriously a hit…which means it will be repeated on Thanksgiving morning, if not before then!
Best.compound.butter.ever. Would love to try it with dates in lieu of cranberries.
Oh yum…great idea! I mean great as in I will absolutely be trying that too idea!
How could I not love a post about butter! What a gorgeous idea for my favourite lipid, thanks.
Well, I love the compound but it’s all on Kerrygold for making one so tasty with nothing added that elevates the dish. I love this stuff!
Yum Barb! I seriously wish I lived next door to you! I’d mooch this breakfast treat anytime you’d make it for me. I mean you. 🙂
xoxo
Heather
Either way; it’s a deal. I’ll make it for us, how’s that?
Funny we think alike. This fine orange cranberry brown butter will go well with my canberry orange ricotta muffins. Now if only you could send some! 🙂
I know right? I just love cranberry and orange together; chose to not abandon that in the pursuit of something new and glad i didn’t. If only we could ‘tweat’ foods across Twitter and share.
Im a fan of french toast and really like the toppings you used for this recipe. I look forward to making this for breakfast. Thanks for sharing this post 🙂
Absolutely Jerry; I hope you enjoy; please come back and let me know after you make it, I would love another person’s impression.
Well, you done good, girl! Add recipe developer to your titles 🙂 The compound butter and maple syrup sweetened compote elevates this French toast to heavenly!!!
Yes ma’am! And thanks Priscilla…it was one small reward to keep me from insane jealousy while reading your posts from PARIS!
Oh wow, you’ve outdone yourself with this one Barb. I’m going to make this to be on the counter throughout the holidays. What a great way to add interest to a morning. I’m also thinking this would be a great way to finish off some pork chops or a pork loin!
Aw thanks Robyn! I might be doing a more savory take with the low fat and some pork and I have loin steaks thawing as I type!
This is just… brilliant!!! I cannot wait to make up a batch and will be making it for an event I have coming up – perfect!!! I can definitely taste this dish from your description Barb and I know it is seriously going to rock – just my kind of breakfast dish!!
And you aren’t a recipe developer??? I beg to differ!!!
I hope you love it too. I can tell you that it was a wonderful breakfast dish. It’s true…I might have had my first sample for dinner but I had to make it again the next morning for breakfast. You know…quality control and all. 🙂
This dish is a delicious representation of the warmth holidays represent, on a plate. My moth is watering! And, I love that you used maple syrup in the compote instead of sugar. What a delightful combo of flavors!
Thank you Chris…that was my goal so it’s so nice to see you realized that. I’ll tell you the big key to the fabulous result? Beyond the butter, it’s the toasted walnuts. I now want toasted walnut Kerrygold for my toast every day.
Barb, love your compound butter and how you used it on french toast. Can’t wait to see what else you’ve been doing with that #butterlove.
Thanks Wendi; now on to a lowfat compound…I do feel a bit of the mad scientist and it’s fun.
I read your title and first few sentences on the email delivery of your blog post on my phone in the wee morning hours, where I stood gloveless admiring my breath looking like I was smoking. I wanted to crawl through the phone for a bite. Fantastic combo of flavors Barb. I too love Dubliner cheese. Hoping you enjoyed a big cup of coffee and a serving in your jammies this a.m.
Thanks Toni; I won’t deny it was a hit with my family. Abbie loved it too. 🙂
This looks absolutely fabulous – I am addicted to French toast in any form and this might have just displaced the recent #1, which was stuffed with mascarpone cheese and also had an orange-cranberry sauce. Hmmm — I wonder if it woud be gilding the lily, to add the mascarpone to this recipe? It’s so mild and melts so beautifully – like silk — what do you think?
I love making compound butters and am very partial to the European-style. This french toast looks amazing – I am eating it with my eyes as I type.
I do too; though I don’t do them often. I’m going to make another one with the lowfat version…not sure what yet but it’s coming, I can feel it percolating now!
And you say you are not a recipe developer! You just created a delightfully delicious masterpiece here Barb. I tend to think that you will be needing two hands now to count the number of times you’ll have eaten French Toast. This new butter recipe of yours would be delicious on English Muffins, any type of cracker and wonderful on scones. Congratulations, it’s certainly a winner in my books.
OK, I admit a bit of tongue in cheekiness there but still, what I said is true. I’m more like the mad scientist who just starts putting stuff together without a lot of advance planning…guess many years of experience sees that usually work out OK. I almost made some English muffins but since I had not done those before stuck with something I knew would deliver and not have the dreaded high altitude sinkhole!
Now this takes French toast to a whole new level. Few things make me want to actually run to the kitchen and start cooking, and this recipe does just that. I know exactly what you mean about Kerrygold butter, too. We are fortunate that our local grocery stores carry all their products. I’ve adored Kerrygold ever since our trip to Ireland where we enjoyed it at every meal for ten days. Heaven!
I picked up a container of the kerry gold spreadable butter at Whole Foods last week on a one day sale- I should have bought a dozen! So tasty!! AND, girl, this french toast looks divine. You’ve taken it to an entirely elevated level!
How creative! I too am hooked on fresh cranberry sauce but must admit that I still always put a can of the gel on the table out of tribute to my mom. Love the fresh cranberry sauce leftovers smeared on bread for turkey and stuffing sandwiches. I can just taste this wonderful compound butter on my sandwiches instead. Yum!
Me too! I make a sandwich after Thanksgiving that I think I love more than the turkey on Thanksgiving day. Turkey, cream cheese, cranberry sauce, sprouts and sunflower seeds. Do you still have a Nick and Willy’s out by you? Came from the one near me that closed. The Gobbler. Sweet memory of your mom but glad I don’t have to be instructed to take just one bit anymore! 🙂
That looks divine!
Cheers,
Ros
Thanks Rosa…appreciate your sweet support!
It’s so pretty and I’m sure it tastes just as wonderful!
I seriously had to talk to myself as in, ‘put down the spoon Barb’ to keep myself from just gobbling it up!