stuffed french toast and stuff
I’m halfway through winter break right now, which means I get to pull off/get away with things like waking up at 10:30 everyday, catching up on but a fraction of non-required reading, never having to change out of sweatpants, and enjoying things like stuffed French toast for breakfast on random weekdays.
To make it: slice bread about 1 1/4-inch thick (I used challah, but I also like brioche and soft sourdough) and make a crosswise slit into each slice. Carefully spread softened cream cheese and jam (I recommend Aw Yeah Jam if you’re feeling adventurous) in the little pockets. Dip slices in a mixture of eggs, milk, a pinch of salt and a little bit of sugar (maybe a little cinnamon too), letting them soak through on each side. I usually do about 2 large eggs and 1/2 cup of milk for every 3 slices of bread.
Speaking of French toast, the absolute best French toast I’ve ever made was embellished with bananas, pecans, and rosemary (and is pictured above). I used yogurt instead of milk because I was out of milk. Nothing I’ve made since then has been as good (including attempts to re-make the same thing). I posted this on an old blog a couple years ago, but here it is again:
French Toast with Bananas and Pecans
for topping:
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
juice of 1/2 an orange
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
pinch of salt
2 bananas, sliced
1/4 cup pecans
Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add syrup, orange juice, rosemary, and salt. Bring to a simmer. Once mixture thickens a bit, add sliced bananas and pecans. Toss to coat, and let bananas heat through for a few minutes.
for French toast:
1/2 tablespoon butter
8 ounces brioche loaf (about 6 1-inch slices)
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
pinch of salt
powdered sugar for dusting
Combine eggs, yogurt, vanilla, cinnamon, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Dip brioche slices in mixture, making sure to coat both sides evenly. Add butter to a heated pan over medium-low heat. Add French toast slices and cook for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Top with banana-maple mixture and powdered sugar.
