This was our breakfast Saturday morning. So scrumptious! It really makes a difference to make French toast with brioche (or, this time, with challah) instead of with regular sandwich bread.
Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
6 Tbs. firmly packed dark brown sugar
Kosher salt, to taste
4 day-old slices brioche, each 1" thick (we actually used a whole loaf's worth of slices)
6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
4 bananas, cut on bias into 1/2" slices
1/4 cup dark rum (I just used water with a splash of rum flavoring)
1/4 tsp. vanilla bean paste (I just added a splash of vanilla to the above water)
3 T. water
Directions:
In bowl, whisk eggs, cinnamon, milk, 1 Tbs. brown sugar and pinch of salt. Pour half of egg mixture into deep pie dish. Soak 1 bread slice (or as many at a time as you can fit in your dish), turning once, 1-2 minutes. Repeat with remaining bread and egg mixture. Pour any remaining mixture over bread until absorbed.
In 11" French skillet over medium heat, melt 1 1/2 Tbs. butter. Add 2 bread slices (or as many as you can fit); cook, turning once, until golden, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to wire cooling rack set over baking sheet; keep warm in 200 degree F oven. Repeat with 1 1/2 Tbs. butter and remaining bread. (Or just save the slices on a plate ...)
In 9" French skillet over medium-high heat, melt 3 Tbs. butter. Add bananas; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Carefully pour in rum (flavoring in water), then add 5 Tbs. brown sugar vanilla bean paste (just vanilla), water, and pinch of salt. Simmer until bananas are soft, 2-3 minutes. Serve French toast with bananas. Serves 4.
