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About Alina Eisenhauer

Alina Eisenhauer is the executive pastry chef and owner of Sweet, a retail pastry and specialty cake shop and dessert bar in Worcester, MA. Her fascination with food began at an early age while living in the Berkshires. Alina's combination of talent, guts and confidence led to her first pasty job at age16! Even a diversion into education and employment in exercise physiology could not keep Alina from her true calling. Food is her passion and her life which is very lucky for pastry lovers.

Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

6 cups stale cubed bread (focaccia or ciabatta)
1-1½ cups dry white wine
1 tsp granulated garlic (fine garlic powder)
1 tsp salt
6 eggs
2 cups whole milk
4 oz Swiss cheese, sliced
1½-2 cups Gruyere cheese, grated
non-stick cooking spray

Special Equipment

6 small ramekins or 4 larger ramekins or a 9" x 12" baking dish

How-to

In a large bowl, pour wine over bread cubes. Add granulated garlic and salt and mix. Set aside while preparing the custard
In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs. Add bread mixture and Swiss cheese and toss with hands. Let sit for 10 minutes to let the bread soak up the custard
Spray baking dish(es) with cooking spray and portion out the mixture. This recipe allows for 6 small ramekins, 4 larger ramekins or a 9" x 13" baking dish
Using your hands, tuck mixture into ramekins, allowing a little overflow, but leave room for more cheese on top. Pour leftover custard over the portions. Pile Gruyere cheese on top
Place ramekins on baking sheet and loosely tent with foil. Bake at 350º for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake an additional 5-10 minutes, until golden brown. The mixture should just be set, still with a little jiggle
Sprinkle with salt or truffle oil to serve (optional)