“Oh, I just want what we all want: a comfortable couch, a nice beverage, a weekend of no distractions and a book that will stop time, lift me out of my quotidian existence and alter my thinking forever.” ~ Elizabeth Gilbert
French Toast is such weekend food! The sort of breakfast where you don’t have to rush, where you can dabble around the kitchen in your pyjamas and then demolish your meal accompanied by chatty family conversation, the weekend papers or a good book.
There are endless variations on French Toast, which is essentially bread dipped in an eggy mixture and then pan fried. It actually works better with slightly stale bread, but at a pinch I have made mountains of it with fresh bread and had no complaints. Gluten-free bread works just fine too!
Today’s version uses fruit loaf. Feel free to substitute plain or any other favourite bread, but I must say that the flavour combination for today’s recipe works well with any bread that has fruit and a little spice.
This meal takes little skill, so it’s a great recipe for beginners, children and the domestically challenged.
INGREDIENTS:
Bacon for each person, adjusting quantity accordingly. I have used a smoked local free-range bacon – the smokiness is brilliant with the banana and maple syrup!
Three large eggs, 1/2 a cup of milk (or your favourite milk substitute), a teaspoon of vanilla, and a dessertspoon of sugar or sweetener (eg Natvia). The sugar is optional. *Hint – use 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon if your bread has no spice.* Some people like a sweeter French Toast. I usually leave it out because by the time you add maple syrup it will be sweet enough. If you elect to make this as a dessert (swap bacon for an ice-cream or whipped cream side!) then go ahead and use the sugar if you want. This is enough to soak 4 to six large slices of bread. (Four if they are thick, or six if they are thin.) If you’re cooking for more people, then adjust your mixture accordingly.
Bread – two slices of fruit loaf/raisin loaf per person or to appetite. A good quality bread like a sourdough or brioche will give an excellent texture, and if it’s a day old the bread will also hold its shape better when you fry it.
A large banana or two small bananas per person.
1 tablespoon of butter.
Maple syrup to serve.
METHOD:
Heat a heavy bottomed frypan, add a tiny wipe of butter and toss your bacon on to cook. This is fine to do on the barbeque hot plate too! (A super dish to make when camping.)
While the bacon sizzles away whisk your eggs in a bowl wide enough to accommodate a slice of bread. Add in the milk and vanilla, and the sugar and cinnamon if you’re using it. If using sugar, whisk until it is dissolved. Hint: Transfer beaten egg mix to a shallow baking dish big enough to hold multiple slices of bread at once if you are cooking for a crowd.
Peel and slice your bananas lengthways.
When the bacon is done remove it and place in a covered dish to keep warm.
Soak each piece of bread in your egg mixture, turning to coat each side, and then lower onto the pan. Don’t just dunk it – let the bread soak up your mixture like a sponge! The bread should be soggy.
If there isn’t much bacon fat, add a little extra butter, wait til it foams and then place your bread in the pan.
Fry the bread over medium heat until browned on the bottom – this will take a few minutes. Using a slide, gently lift each piece of bread and turn it over. Cook until the bread feels firm and has lost that spongy feeling in the centre. Watch your heat. If it’s too hot the egg mixture will burn before the bread is cooked through.
Place the bread on your serving plates add the remaining butter to the pan and quickly fry off your bananas, turning them so that they brown up on each side.
Add the bacon and bananas to your French Toast.
Drizzle with Maple Syrup. Organise yourself a beverage and a comfy place to sit. Enjoy!
I made this strange breakfast yesterday & I must say that these ingredients go so well together!! Bacon with banana & French toast, I never tasted that in my life before,..strange but it miracly works,…! 🙂 xxx
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Sophie. I think it’s a terrific flavour combination. 😀 xoxo
strange but superb! 🙂 xxx
I think so too!
Good night!
I love that you fried it in the bacon fat 🙂 I’ve never thought to add bananas to the pan, but it looks so delicious! Thanks for the ideas, Nicole!
You never tried bacon and bananas? Oh Daisy, you’re gonna love it!!!
Looks good must try it for the bank holiday …Oscar (our King Charles who doesn’t like other dogs but really he’s shy, if you remember) and myself are so pleased Harry has got over his ordeal .
love Cherry xxx
Harry, Bert and I wave hi to you and Oscar!
Much love xxxx
Yummy looks delicious. Pity we can’t get bacon here in Saudi. Have to use Beef Bacon here and give it a go.
Beef bacon? Sounds curious!
Yum and YAY for Harry!! I think I might have to make a trip to our favourite cafe tomorrow for brekkie … xoxo
Your room at the Possum Creek Dine-In Inn is ready…
*squeeee!* Sew excitement!!!! xoxo
YUM, YUM, YUM!!! I am drooling…. Sooooo happy to hear you are up and about cooking and eating yummy things and that wee Harry is bouncing back to his normal self
Yes, we are all a bit bright around here, thank goodness. It’s nice to be able to face food again! 😀 xx
Yum! I never get to add the bacon to this on account it is eaten by others before I get to it lol. Thanks for the quantity to slices ratio. I make it the same but it was from top of my head and I never quite know how many I make. It was one of the first of my adapted recipes (after I was forced to give up cow milk) as my taste buds adjusted.
YAY on Harry’s bounce back (we all knew it inevitable). Just in time for the damp weather you are probably having. xox
Nicky, you have to learn to hide the bacon!!!
I usually keep my warming oven on and hide it in there. No one ever thinks to look in the oven.
Mind you I hide my chocolate stash in the vegetable crisper drawer for the same reason…
And I find that whenever I cook bacon, the dogs sit SO attentively at my feet, gazing at me adoringly. Or at least that’s what I tell myself 🙂
LOL I bet those canine nurses are attentive. Bet they’d tell you it’s for your own safety (WHS and all that 😀 lol). I know I should re the bacon. I mean, our wedding reception last year was a breakfast (husband had bacon and sausages and I had bacon and eggs). Oh and “cake” was fresh cannoli 🙂
Weird thing, I’m not a huge chocolate consumer, so for me, it’s not a problem. The Husband on the other hand, must hide it from himself sometimes lol.
My batch made this morning was delish!
Yummy I have to cook the morning sunday breakfast shift at my restaurant and I think this will be the special. We are out in the country and I don’t have real maple syrup so I think I will take some local honey and melt it with butter and a little orange zest amd cinnamon sticks and make something sweet like that as a replacement. Thanks for the great idea How is Harry after his surgery?
Yum, Patty! The honey combo sounds delicious.
Harry is back to his cute and way too energetic self this morning, which is great news. Much love to you xx