Caramelized French Toast with Strawberries

 
Finally, a recipe for French Toast that the kids couldn't get enough of! I made this two mornings in a row, and both times, they"fought" over who could have the last piece. I was quietly pleased, of course. I used less sugar in the first batch, and served it with a generous glug of maple syrup. Yum! With the second, I was more heavy-handed with the sugar and butter. I had been meaning to make Kouign Amman, a crisp, chewy French pastry that is loaded with sugar and butter, and tastes like a rich croissant glazed with butterscotch. I figured if that's what it takes, then bring on the sugar and butter! And my, it was sinfully delicious and indulgent for French toast. In fact, it wouldn't be a bad idea to serve it for afternoon tea or dessert either. It's eleven pm right now. I'm thinking, French toast for supper, anyone?


Caramelized French Toast

Ingredients

4 large thick slices of bread (1-2 days old), halved*
2 eggs
4 tbsp heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
2-3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (or to taste)
3-4 tbsp butter

* I used Helga's Traditional White Toast. You could also use wood-fired bread

Method

1. In a large shallow dish, beat the eggs. Add the cream and vanilla essence, stirring well to combine.

2. Combine sugar with ground cinnamon in a small bowl.

3. Dip bread in the egg mixture to coat both sides. Drain off excess egg. Set aside on a plate and sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar mixture. Repeat with the rest of the bread.

4. Heat a large non-stick pan on medium heat and add 1-2 tbsp of butter to melt. Add the bread slices with the sugar side down. Then, sprinkle the top of each slice with the sugar mixture.

3. When the bottom of the bread has browned and caramelized, add more butter to the pan, and then flip the bread over to fry the other side. Shake the pan slightly to move the bread around so that it soaks up some of that melted butter and caramelize with the cinnamon sugar. Watch it carefully to make sure it doesn't burn! When it's nicely browned, caramelized and glossy-looking, transfer to a serving plate. Serve immediately with maple syrup if desired, and fresh strawberries.

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