Nothing says it’s the weekend like a big brunch, especially if it’s something sweet you normally don’t (or can’t) eat on a rushed weekday morning. We love all kinds of brunch foods, from eggs benedict to buttermilk pancakes, but sometimes we start craving that delicious, caramelized crunch on the edge of good French toast.
French toast is tasty enough on its own, but it’s even better when it’s stuffed with fruit and cream cheese to add texture, flavor and a little extra adventure. To “stuff” the toast, we just cut a slit in extra-thick bread slices to create a pocket, then spread the inside with a cream cheese, sugar and cinnamon mixture before adding banana slices.
To really put this French toast breakfast over the top, we replaced maple syrup with caramel syrup. Beware, this was an addictive transformation of your typical French toast. A little whipped cream and a few more banana slices topped everything off before we dove into this fluffy, caramel-sweetened stack of heaven. You won’t want to let another weekend go by without making these.
- 1/2 cup cream cheese softened
- 1 Tablespoon confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon divided
- 1 cup milk
- 4 large eggs slightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 slices Italian bread each 1-inch thick
- 2 medium bananas thinly sliced
- Caramel syrup warmed
- Whipped cream
- Additional banana slices
- Preheat griddle to 400°F.
- In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon until smooth; set aside.
- In a large bowl with a wire whisk, blend milk, eggs, vanilla, sugar, remaining cinnamon and salt; set aside.
- Cut a slit in each slice of bread to form a pocket. Spread inside of pocket with cream cheese mixture. Add sliced bananas.
- Place stuffed bread slices in the milk mixture. Let soak 1 minute on each side. If necessary, soak in batches to fit in bowl.
- Carefully transfer to griddle.
- Cook 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until browned and egg mixture is set.
- Serve with warmed caramel syrup and extra banana slices if desired. Or, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
With a Hamilton Beach® Electric Skillet or Griddle on your countertop, you can create satisfying, one-dish meals that eliminate the need to clean multiple pots and pans. To make cleaning even easier, the nonstick cooking components are either dishwasher safe or are fully immersible with the cord removed.
TAGS: bread, breakfast
CATEGORIES: breakfast, easter, Everyday Recipes, mother's day
