Hazelnut-crusted French Toast
By Narayan • 22:19 on Monday, March 11, 2002 • 2 responses
I only make this two or three times a year because it’s more effort than I’m usually willing to put into breakfast. It’s worth it, though, especially if you’re having a bunch of people over. I try to bake my own bread for this, but if I can’t, I try to buy an unsliced loaf of good white bread from a local baker (if you’re near Portland, Maine, Standard Baking Company’s pan de mie was perfect). Fresh strawberries make this already perfect breakfast dish perfect-er.
- 1/2 cup cream cheese, at room temp
- 6 tablespoons Hazelnut Butter, at room temp
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- good quality white bread (sorry, wonder won’t cut it for this)
- 3/4 cup milk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- .5 teaspoon almond extract
- .5 teaspoon orange extract
- 2 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Mix cream cheese and hazelnut butter in small bowl. Add the sugar, mix well, and set aside.
- Cut 4 small slits in each slice of bread. Spread hazelnut mixture on one side of the slices.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high head until hot but not smoking. Dip a slice of bread completely in the milk mixture. Let the excess drip off, then place it in the skillet and let cook until it is golden on each side, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining bread, adding more butter as needed.
- Serve hazelnut side up, dusted with powdered sugar. Use corn syrup on this and I’ll have to kill you.
