Flour Bakery’s Egg Sandwich

Before heading out of town last weekend, I made a pan of Joanne Chang’s baked eggs.

If you are unfamiliar, Joanne Chang is the founder of Flour , a bakery and cafe in Boston (now with 9 locations), which serves a beloved egg sandwich. Unlike traditional egg sandwiches, which typically feature fried or scrambled eggs, Joanne’s calls for a pre-baked egg, made from a mixture of beaten eggs and half-and-half, baked at 300ºF in a covered pan set in a water bath.

The combination of the low temperature, the water bath, and the half-and-half creates an egg with a custardy, souffle-like texture, which reheats beautifully. And this is just what Joanne needed: without space to cook eggs to order at the bakery, the pre-baked egg allowed her to include an egg sandwich on her menu.

At Flour, the egg gets reheated to order with a slice of cheddar on top, and it’s served on a focaccia roll spread with dijonnaise, a mixture of mayonnaise and mustard, along with a slow-cooked tomato and bacon (if you wish).

It’s a spectacular combination and not only is it easy to make at home, it’s so nice to make at home. Why? Because with a stash of these egg squares on hand, a quick meal can materialize in no time.

As many of you know, I’m not much of a meal prepper. I make salad dressings in large batches and sauces ahead of time, but I have never been disciplined enough to spend weekends making meals for the week ahead.

But this I can do. Over the years, I’ve made Joanne’s recipe many times, but I find myself making it most often during particularly frazzled times: when we renovated our kitchen, for example, or throughout hockey season or, as in this past week, in an effort to lighten the load at home while I’m away.

Another bonus of the pre-baked egg? Egg sandwiches for a crowd. Place the egg squares on a sheet pan, each with a slice of cheese on top, and heat in the oven with the bun of choice — I like brioche buns — alongside. When the cheese is melty and the buns are toasty, remove, assemble, and serve.

Flour Bakery’s Egg Sandwiches, Step by Step

Gather your ingredients: eggs, salt, half-and-half.

Whisk together the eggs and salt first.

Then add the half-and-half and whisk to combine.

Transfer to a buttered 8- or 9-inch baking dish.

Set the pan in a 9×13-inch pan (or something similar) and …

… pour boiling water into the large pan to reach 1/2- to 1-inch up the sides. Carefully transfer to a 300ºF oven, cover with a sheet pan, and bake for 25-35 minutes or…

… until the custard is set.

Cut into 6 roughly equal rectangles.

To make the egg sandwiches, place a slice of cheese over an egg rectangle on an oven-safe dish and transfer to the oven until…

… the cheese is melted. I love a toasted brioche bun for this egg sandwich.

Assemble your sandwich with garnishes of choice:

Note: When I’m really on my game, I’ll make the brioche rolls from scratch. I always, however, have a stash of store-bought brioche in the freezer, because they’re quite good and so nice to have on hand for these sandwiches.

I love the simplicity of greens, lightly dressed with oil and vinegar, on this sandwich.

As noted in the post, a slow-cooked tomato or bacon (or avocado or anything your heart desires) would all be great additions here.

Store the baked egg slices in an airtight vessel in the fridge for up to 1 week. It is so nice having a stash of these eggs on hand for quick meals.

Here they are on homemade buns with roasted red peppers and pea shoots.

Description

From Joanne Chang’s cookbook Flour, Too .

Notes:

A few changes from the original recipe:

• Shorter cooking time: I find 25-30 minutes (as opposed to 40 minutes) to be about right. Do rely on visual cues, however, as every oven is different.
• No pepper or thyme in the eggs (not because I don’t like them but because the recipe calls for adding them after 20 minutes of baking, which has always felt a little fussy).
• I cut the egg custard into 6 pieces as opposed to 4.

Salt: I always use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you are using Morton’s kosher salt or fine sea salt use half the amount by volume (1/2 teaspoon) or the same amount by weight (5 grams).

For the eggs:

• 9 eggs
• 1 teaspoon ( 5 g ) kosher salt, see note
• 3/4 cup half-and-half or heavy cream

For one egg sandwich (scale up as needed):

• 1 slice cheese, I’ve been using Cheddar
• 1 egg rectangle, from the baked egg portion of the recipe
• 1 brioche roll, homemade or otherwise
• butter or other sauce of choice
• lettuce, optional
• oil and vinegar, optional, for the greens
• hot sauce, roasted red peppers , avocado, bacon, or any other additions you wish, for serving

Make the Eggs:

1. Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Butter an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish. Bring a pot of water to a boil — I use my electric tea kettle, which holds about 4 cups.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and salt. Add the half-and-half and whisk to combine. Transfer the eggs to the prepared pan.
3. Set the pan inside a 9×13-inch baking dish. Carefully pour the boiling water into the 9×13-inch baking dish. Carefully transfer the pan to the oven. Set a sheet pan on top of the pan to cover. Cook for 25-35 minutes (or potentially longer), but start checking after 25 minutes. To check for doneness, remove the sheet pan, and gently touch the egg custard — it should feel set. If it is not set, recover the pan and set the timer for 5 minutes more. My eggs consistently cook in 25 to 30 minutes.
4. Carefully remove the egg custard from the water bath and set it on a cooling rack. Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting. Cut into 6 rectangles. Proceed with the recipe or transfer the rectangles to a storage vessel and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

To Make the Sandwich:

1. Place the egg on an oven-safe dish — I like these sizzle pans — and lay a slice of cheese on top. Transfer to a 350ºF oven for 4 to 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. I do this in my toaster oven and toast the brioche bun alongside — do keep an eye on the brioche bun, however, as it tends to toast before the egg/cheese piece is ready. Also, depending on if your eggs were refrigerated or not, this will take more or less time. If my egg pieces have been refrigerated, I’ll heat them without cheese in the toaster oven for 3 to 4 minutes, then I’ll top with a slice of cheese and heat for another 1 minute or so. (Alternatively: heat the egg-cheese combo in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds.)
2. Toast the brioche: you can do this in a toaster or an oven depending on what you prefer.
3. Spread butter or sauce of choice over the toasted brioche. Top with an egg-and-cheese slice. Top with hot sauce, if using, and any other additions: greens (lightly dressed with oil and vinegar), roasted red peppers, avocado, etc.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

Description

From Joanne Chang’s cookbook Flour, Too .

Notes:

A few changes from the original recipe:

• Shorter cooking time: I find 25-30 minutes (as opposed to 40 minutes) to be about right. Do rely on visual cues, however, as every oven is different.
• No pepper or thyme in the eggs (not because I don’t like them but because the recipe calls for adding them after 20 minutes of baking, which has always felt a little fussy).
• I cut the egg custard into 6 pieces as opposed to 4.

Salt: I always use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you are using Morton’s kosher salt or fine sea salt use half the amount by volume (1/2 teaspoon) or the same amount by weight (5 grams).

For the eggs:

• 9 eggs
• 1 teaspoon ( 5 g ) kosher salt, see note
• 3/4 cup half-and-half or heavy cream

For one egg sandwich (scale up as needed):

• 1 slice cheese, I’ve been using Cheddar
• 1 egg rectangle, from the baked egg portion of the recipe
• 1 brioche roll, homemade or otherwise
• butter or other sauce of choice
• lettuce, optional
• oil and vinegar, optional, for the greens
• hot sauce, roasted red peppers , avocado, bacon, or any other additions you wish, for serving

Make the Eggs:

1. Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Butter an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish. Bring a pot of water to a boil — I use my electric tea kettle, which holds about 4 cups.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and salt. Add the half-and-half and whisk to combine. Transfer the eggs to the prepared pan.
3. Set the pan inside a 9×13-inch baking dish. Carefully pour the boiling water into the 9×13-inch baking dish. Carefully transfer the pan to the oven. Set a sheet pan on top of the pan to cover. Cook for 25-35 minutes (or potentially longer), but start checking after 25 minutes. To check for doneness, remove the sheet pan, and gently touch the egg custard — it should feel set. If it is not set, recover the pan and set the timer for 5 minutes more. My eggs consistently cook in 25 to 30 minutes.
4. Carefully remove the egg custard from the water bath and set it on a cooling rack. Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting. Cut into 6 rectangles. Proceed with the recipe or transfer the rectangles to a storage vessel and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

To Make the Sandwich:

1. Place the egg on an oven-safe dish — I like these sizzle pans — and lay a slice of cheese on top. Transfer to a 350ºF oven for 4 to 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. I do this in my toaster oven and toast the brioche bun alongside — do keep an eye on the brioche bun, however, as it tends to toast before the egg/cheese piece is ready. Also, depending on if your eggs were refrigerated or not, this will take more or less time. If my egg pieces have been refrigerated, I’ll heat them without cheese in the toaster oven for 3 to 4 minutes, then I’ll top with a slice of cheese and heat for another 1 minute or so. (Alternatively: heat the egg-cheese combo in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds.)
2. Toast the brioche: you can do this in a toaster or an oven depending on what you prefer.
3. Spread butter or sauce of choice over the toasted brioche. Top with an egg-and-cheese slice. Top with hot sauce, if using, and any other additions: greens (lightly dressed with oil and vinegar), roasted red peppers, avocado, etc.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2023/04/07/flour-bakerys-egg-sandwich/

Made with a mixture of bread and rye flours, a small amount of honey, and a few teaspoons of caraway seeds, this simple no-knead rye bread tastes beautifully tangy with a hearty, chewy texture perfect for sandwiches or toast. It comes together in no time and bakes in a single loaf pan, but the recipe can be doubled, and the baked bread freezes very well.

Rye bread has a reputation of being dense and heavy as well as aggressively sour in flavor. While some people love these qualities, others do not. I love a rye bread with a subtle tang and a hearty but not leaden texture.

This no-knead rye bread is just that: made with a mixture of bread and rye flours, the texture of the finished loaf is light enough for a sandwich but makes excellent toast as well. A small amount of honey balances out the sourness and lends a nice chew, while caraway seeds, which can be left out, impart subtle notes of citrus and anise.

This recipe calls for 1 cup of rye flour and 3 cups of bread flour, and while you could play around with increasing the proportion of rye in this recipe (which is roughly 20% by weight), keep in mind that the more rye flour you use, the denser your bread will be. Why? Read on.

How Rye Flour is Different Than Other Wheat Flours

• Higher in Bran and Minerals: Flour with a high amount of bran and minerals will produce bread that is lower in volume because the sharp shape of the bran cuts the gluten network.
• Different Proteins + High in Pentosans: Wheat flour contains two gluten-forming proteins: glutenin (which promotes elasticity) and gliadin (which promotes extensibility). When these proteins mix with water, gluten begins forming. Rye flour on the other hand contains gliadin and a protein called glutelin (similar to glutenin). It also is high in pentosans (a polysaccharide composed of carbon sugars). The pentosans absorb water and compete with the gliadin and glutelin for moisture, which inhibits the development of gluten in rye breads.

Homemade Rye Bread, Step by Step

This recipe calls for a mix of rye flour and bread or all-purpose flour.

Please use a scale to measure! It is the only to ensure you are measuring accurately.

Once you have your ingredients measured accurately…

whisk together the flours, salt, instant yeast, and caraway seeds, if using.

Whisk together the water and honey until the honey dissolves, then add the mixture to the bowl, followed by the oil.

Stir with a spatula until you have a sticky dough ball.

Cover the bowl and let rise until doubled, 2 to 3 hours.

Rub the surface of the dough with a tablespoon of oil, then deflate the dough.

Turn the loaf over, then roll into a loaf shape.

This video may help:

Transfer to a buttered 8.5×4.5-inch or 9×5-inch loaf pan.

Let rise until the dough crowns the rim of the pan by about an inch.

Bake for 45 minutes at 375ºF.

Let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. I like to slice it, then freeze it in bundles of 3 to 4 slices.

Like the maple-oat bread and the three-seed bread , this one makes great toast:

Description

Adapted from my cookbook, Bread Toast Crumbs.

Notes:

Flour: Y ou could play around with increasing the proportion of rye flour in this recipe (which is roughly 20% by weight), but keep in mind that the more rye flour you use, the denser your bread will be. This is because rye flour is high in bran, the sharp shape of which cuts the gluten network, inhibiting its ability to trap air and produce a lofty loaf of bread.

Salt: I always use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you are using Morton’s kosher salt or fine sea salt use half the amount by volume or the same amount by weight.

Yeast: If using active dry yeast, sprinkle the yeast over the lukewarm water-honey mixture and let stand for 10 minutes; then proceed with the recipe.

Caraway: If you don’t like the flavor of caraway, simply omit the seeds or use less: 1 to 2 teaspoons or to taste.

• 3 cups ( 384 g ) bread or all-purpose flour
• 1 cup ( 96 g ) rye flour, see note
• 2 teaspoons ( 10 g ) kosher salt, see note
• 2 teaspoons ( 10 g ) instant yeast , see note
• 1 tablespoon ( 9 g ) caraway seeds, see note
• 1.75 cups ( 395 g ) lukewarm water
• 2 tablespoons ( 42 g ) honey or maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons ( 28 g ) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Softened unsalted butter, for greasing

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, instant yeast, and caraway seeds, if using. In a medium bowl, whisk together the water and the honey until the honey is dissolved. Add to the flour, followed by 1 tablespoon of the oil. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the liquid is absorbed and the ingredients form a sticky dough ball.
2. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or a cloth bowl cover or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 2 to 3 hours, until the dough has doubled in volume.
3. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Grease an 8.5×4.5-inch (or 9×5-inch) loaf pan generously with softened butter.
4. When the dough has doubled, drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the top and use your hand to rub the oil over the surface to coat. Use your hand again to release the dough from the sides of the bowl, then flip the ball over so that the oil side is down. Roll the dough into a coil or into a loaf shape, then transfer to your prepared pan seam side down. Watch this video for guidance .
5. Let the dough rise on the countertop (preferably in a warm, draft-free spot) for 45 minutes to an hour or until the dough has risen significantly in the pan — it should be doming above the rim of the pan by about one inch. See photos for reference.
6. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is evenly browned. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the loaf out onto a cooling rack. Let the loaf cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

• Prep Time: 5 hours
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Bread
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American