Gather family for banana cream stuffed French toast

That being said, gathering at the family table with a homemade meal is the bread and butter of this country. It nurtures and reinforces the relationship of parents with their children. This humble tradition is a must for future generations.

While we are on the subject of homemade meals, let us take a closer look at French toast. Contrary to its name, the origins of French toast have been traced back to the Roman Empire.

The name “French toast” was first used in 17th Century England. The recipe and name were brought to America by way of the early settlers.

In France, the dish is called “pain perdu,” meaning “lost bread.” Originally, people made French toast from stale bread in order to make use of bread that otherwise would have been thrown away.

Following are a few reminders for fantastic French toast.

Adding too much dairy and sugar to the custard will result in wet, soggy bread. You want the French toast to be dry on the surface with slightly crisp edges.

It is imperative to mix the custard thoroughly. If you do not do this, pieces of egg whites and yolks will show up on your perfectly browned slices.

Choosing the right type of bread is imperative. If the bread is thin, it will be too flimsy when it is dipped in the batter. If it is too thick, it will never cook in the center. The ideal thickness is ¾ to 1 inch.

If one is going to stuff the French toast, rolls are the better choice. Brioche and challah’s textures are great choices for French bread.

Lots of home cooks quickly dip each side of the bread in the custard before cooking it. The bread must soak in the egg mixture, so give it at least 5 minutes in the cream mixture.

There is a fine line between using too much heat or not enough. You want to develop a nice sear but do not want the French toast to burn. The custard has sugar which can promote scorching, so you need to keep an eye on it.

Finally, give the pan a light coating of neutral oil and unsalted butter. The oil will help prevent the butter from burning. Make sure to wipe out the pan after every batch, then use a fresh combination of neutral oil and butter. Otherwise, the butter will burn and the little black bits will stick to the next batch.

In closing, if you like bananas and French toast, the following banana cream stuffed French toast with a crunchy cereal crust and bruleed bananas is as decadent as it gets. Enjoy!

French Toast Batter

6 eggs

½ cup heavy cream

2 cups whole milk

2 rounded tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon each ground nutmeg, allspice, cloves

1. Place all ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Whisk until all ingredients are well incorporated, set aside.

Banana Cream

1 pound cream cheese, room temperature

¾ cup very ripe bananas

1/3 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon banana extract

1. Place all ingredients in a medium bowl. Using a hand-held blender, combine all ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate banana cream until ready to use. The cream will pipe easier if it is chilled.

Bruleed Bananas

3 bananas

granulated sugar

butane torch

1. Slice bananas according to personal preference. Heavily coat slices with sugar. Turn the torch on and brulee the individual slice of coated bananas until the desired caramelization is achieved.

Crunchy Cereal Crust for French Toast

3 cups favorite vanilla almond cereal

8 brioche rolls

1 stick unsalted butter

8 teaspoons canola oil

1. Place cereal on a cutting board. Using a rolling pin, crush cereal to a medium-coarse consistence. Place crushed cereal in a pie pan.

Assembly

Slice 8 brioche rolls with a serrated knife to form a pocket, but do not cut completely through. Stuff banana cream in the pocket and smooth the edges.

Heat a large sauté pan with 1/2 stick unsalted butter and 4 teaspoons canola oil over medium heat.

Dip all sides of the stuffed bread in the French toast batter and then roll in the crushed cereal.

Cook until golden brown on both sides. If you need more butter, feel free at add more. When done, remove toast from pan.

Using paper towels, wipe out the pan and repeat this process for the remaining 4 brioche rolls.

Using a serrated knife, slice French toast on a diagonal. Pipe extra banana cream filling on the plate along with bruleed bananas, add a dusting of powdered sugar, and serve with warm syrup.

* Food Lion carries banana extract. Butane torches can be purchased online for as little as $21.

Secret Ingredient – Individuality. “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson