BANANA- AND NUT BUTTER-STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

BANANA- AND NUT BUTTER-STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

Sarah Arruda

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Ingredients

  

• HANDS ON 25 minutes
• CHILL 2 hours
• BAKE 50 minutes at 375°F
• STAND 15 minutes
• 20 ½- inch-thick slices brioche bread halved diagonally (12 oz.)
• ½ of an 8-oz. carton mascarpone cheese or whipped cream cheese
• ¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. nut butter*
• ¾ cup pure maple syrup
• 4 bananas
• 1¾ cups milk
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp. butter

Instructions

 

• 1. Grease a 2- to 2½-qt. baking dish. Arrange 10 of the bread slices in the dish, overlapping as needed. For filling, in a small bowl whisk together mascarpone cheese, the ¼ cup nut butter, and ¼ cup of the maple syrup until smooth. Spoon evenly over bread in dish. Slice two of the bananas crosswise. Layer slices over filling. Arrange the remaining bread slices on top.
• 2. In a large bowl whisk together milk, eggs, ¼ cup of the maple syrup, the vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour egg mixture over bread while pressing bread down lightly to moisten. Cover; chill 2 to 24 hours.
• 3. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake, uncovered, 50 to 65 minutes or until center is set (180°F), covering loosely with foil after 25 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
• 4. Meanwhile, bias-slice the remaining two bananas. In a 10-inch skillet heat butter, the remaining ¼ cup maple syrup, and the 1 Tbsp. nut butter over medium heat until bubbly. Add banana slices. Cook 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Spoon over French toast. Makes 8 servings (1 cup each).
• *NOTE Both no-stir and all-natural varieties of peanut, almond, and cashew butters work in this recipe.
• PER SERVING 524 cal., 30 g fat (14 g sat. fat), 172 mg chol., 289 mg sodium, 54 g carb., 3 g fiber, 30 g sugars, 12 g pro.

NOW: NUT BUTTERS You can find a nut butter for almost every type of nut on grocery shelves.

Our Test Kitchen tried almond, cashew, and peanut butter when testing this recipe. Feel free to use your family’s favorite.

BREAD PICKS Our Test Kitchen prefers brioche, an egg-rich bread, for making excellent French toast. It’s light but firm, which allows it to absorb the egg mixture.

Texas toast has similar qualities but tastes less sweet.

SPICE SWAP Cinnamon is the primary spice in the sweet French toast casserole, above.

But if your taste buds need a surprise, substitute five-spice powder. You’ll note cinnamon, fennel, star anise, cloves, and Szechwan pepper.