French Toast Foster
Boudin Bakery
San Francisco
Boudin Bakery has an elegant way of using day-old sourdough bread—the kitchen transforms it into French Toast Foster. The bread is soaked in a batter flavored with orange zest and vanilla, then topped with bruleed bananas, berries, honey and whipped butter. The waste-conscious recipe makes a decadent brunch or breakfast plate.
Ingredients
1 sourdough batard or baguette
1 qt. half-and-half
4 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp. orange liqueur
1 tsp. grated orange zest
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup strawberries, quartered
4 bananas
½ cup demerara sugar
½ lb. whipped butter
1 honey comb
Steps
1. Slice bread on bias into 1-inch thick pieces.
2. For batter, in mixing bowl, whisk together half-and-half, eggs, granulated sugar, liqueur, zest and vanilla until well blended. Soak bread in batter about 30 minutes.
3. In nonstick skillet or griddle, cook soaked bread on both sides until golden brown; keep warm.
4. Half unpeeled bananas lengthwise; coat with demerara sugar. Brulee with a torch until sugar melts and forms a clear golden crust.
5. To serve, shingle French toast on plate; peel banana and place in between the slices. Top with a dollop of whipped butter, a piece of honeycomb and strawberries.