Tuesday 6 October 2015

Crunchy Pumpkin vanilla bean French toast




“Pumpkin Everythang”
 

Syrup optional, the French toast that can stand on its own is here. It packs loads of flavor and is perfectly sweet. The best way to enjoy pumpkin for breakfast and a great way to trick your kids into eating pumpkin without the slightest clue as to what’s really filling their bellies and delighting their taste buds.

To be honest I’m not really a French toast fan. It’s delicious but texturally it’s sometimes too wet.  In truth and in fact if I had the choice between a waffle, pancake or French toast I almost always choose a waffle, why? I love a crunchy exterior with a soft chewy center. For all those out there who love a crunchy crispy waffle you may appreciate this crunchy French toast that’s loaded with pumpkin and vanilla beans. The crunchy exterior is achieved by coating it in one of my favorite cereals; frosted flakes.

Yet again, a recipe inspiration that came out of my trip to Texas in the summer. One morning I took four left over pancakes and tuned them into a crunchy French toast, using frosted flakes (The only cereal my brother had in the cupboard)  I then stored the idea in the back of my brain to recreate with the addition of pumpkin. This is pumpkin Months third year and its becoming increasingly difficult to develop 8-9 new recipes each year made of pumpkin. So the ideas for pumpkin month have to be written down as soon as I get them.

The month so far is going very strong, last week’s soup and today's French toast, both great recipes, both inspired by my summer in Texas. Maybe I need to go there more often. 


  
Ingredients (printable recipe)

½ cup pumpkin puree
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup water
2 eggs
2 table spoon vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoon Sugar
2 pinch salt
1 box frosted flakes or corn flakes
10-12 slices of thick hard dough bread
1 stick of butter

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
  • Whisk together, the pumpkin, cream, water, eggs, vanilla bean paste and sugar
  • Place the frosted flakes in a zip lock back and crush into fine crumbs
  • Remove the bread crusts and into the desired shapes
  • Melt some butter on a hot plate or a frying pan
  • Dip the bread into the batter for a few second
  • Place batter soaked bread in the frosted flakes to coat the entire thing
  • Place in the buttered pan and fry on both sides until dark golden brown
  • Repeat for all, place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes 








Greedy tips:


  • When the French toasts are pan fried the become limp, the oven makes them crispy, if you prefer them soft rather than crispy you can omit the oven stage if you rather them less crispy. 
  • To reheat leftover I warm in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds then Just pop them in the toaster to crisp up
  • The circular shapes are optional but do remove the crusts so the bread can absorb as much batter as possible. 
  • You can save the extra bread that you cut off in the freezer and use in a bread pudding. 
  • No vanilla bean paste? use vanilla extract or scrape the beans from 1 pod of a vanilla bean.



Xoxo Greedygirl

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