[Kitchen Witch]

French Toast with Banana Cream Topping

Begin the Topping at least two hours in advance of serving.


French Toast:

8 slices white bread (day old preferred)
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter or margarine for frying

Banana Cream Topping:

2 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
3/4 cup chilled whipping cream
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Topping: In a medium sauce pan, combine bananas, orange juice, sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the
bananas become very soft. With a slotted spoon, transfer bananas to
blender. Add 1/4 cup liquid from the pan and puree until smooth.
Cover with plastic wrap in medium bowl and chill until cold (at least
2 hours).

Just before removing banana mixture from the refrigerator, beat
whipping cream in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Remove banana
puree and fold into the whipping cream.

French Toast: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk,
cinnamon and vanilla extract. Dip bread slices into egg mixture,
coating both sides generously. On a griddle or skillet at medium heat,
melt butter and then cook slices until each side is golden-brown. You
can place completed French toast slices on a serving plate in an oven
set to 100 degrees F to keep finished slices warm as you cook the
others.

Top each serving of French toast with a generous dollop of the Banana
Cream Topping. Garnish with a few slices of freshly-sliced banana.

Yield: 4 servings



Banana-Stuffed French Toast

16 Slices cinnamon-rasin bread
1/2 C. whipped cream cheese
4 large bananas, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 stich butter ( unsalted suggested- I used salted)
6 eggs
3/4 C. milk
1 t. vanilla
pinch of salt (Kosher suggested)
1/2 C. warm maple syrup for serving

Preheat oven to 225

1. Lay 8 slices of bread on a work surface and spread 1 side of each with cream cheese. Top each with slightly overlapping banana slices. Cover with remaining bread to make sandwiches.

2. Melt 2 T. butter over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet. Meanwhile, in a large, shallow bowl, beat eggs, milk, vanilla and salt with a fork. Dip f sandwiches into egg mixture to soak both sides, about 5 sec. (don't over soak). Lay sandwiches in skillet and cook, turning until browned, about 5 minutes one side and 3 the other. Repeat with remaining butter and sandwiches. When done, transfer to oven racks; don not stack. Serve hot with warm syrup



Blueberry French Toast


1 (1 pound) loaf Italian bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, diced
1 cup blueberries
12 eggs
2 cups milk
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
1 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon butter

Place half of the bread cubes in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking
pan. Sprinkle cream cheese on top of bread cubes. Top with 1 cup
blueberries and remaining bread. In a large bowl, beat together eggs,
milk and maple syrup. Pour egg mixture over bread. Cover pan and
refrigerate overnight.
The next morning, remove pan from refrigerator 30 minutes before
baking. Preheat oven to 350F. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake
in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Uncover pan and bake for an
additional 30 minutes, until golden brown and center is set.
To make Sauce: In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch, add
water. Boil over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir
in blueberries and reduce heat. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes, or until the
berries have burst. Stir in butter until melted. Serve the sauce over
squares of french toast.


Strawberry-Stuffed French Toast

Serves 4

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
8 slice bread, white or whole wheat
3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
3 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons milk
4 tablespoons butter (optional)
2 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon; mix until smooth. Spread one side of each slice of bread evenly with the cream cheese mixture. On the cream cheese side of four slices of the bread, layer with some sliced strawberries evenly over the surface of each slice. Top each slice with a remaining slice of bread, pressing the cream cheese side down onto the strawberries. Press together gently to seal strawberries inside sandwich.

In a shallow bowl, combine the eggs and milk; mix well and set aside.

Preheat oven to 200°F. Spray a large baking sheet lightly with cooking spray and place in oven. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray or melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over medium-high heat.

Dip strawberry sandwiches into the egg mixture, turning to soak each side. Place soaked sandwich in the hot skillet and cook on each side until browned. Remove sandwiches from skillet and place on baking sheet in warm oven and repeat until all sandwiches are cooked.

Just before serving, cut each sandwich diagonally; top with remaining strawberries and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar. Serve with Warm Strawberry Syrup.

Warm Strawberry Syrup:
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons orange juice or Grand Marnier
3/4 cup puréed strawberries

In a small saucepan, combine the maple syrup, orange juice and puréed strawberries. Heat mixture over medium heat for 5 minutes or until thickened slightly, stirring frequently. Serve while warm.