A Classic Made Even Better
One of the best things about being a self-declared foodie is people know I love to hear about great places to eat and delicious recipes to try. One such person who shares ideas with me regularly is my friend, Judy. We met quite a few years ago at water aerobics class.
Judy’s talents in the kitchen far exceed mine, especially when it comes to baking bread. She also has the gift of improvisation in the kitchen, which brings amazing meals into existence. She has shared many recipes and ideas with me, and this particular recipe idea comes directly from her kitchen.
French toast is a classic on it’s own, but Judy elevated it by adding grilled pears. It. Is. Amazing. It makes a great breakfast, of course, but in this house we do breakfast for dinner, too.
I use the good ol’ standby from ye old Better Homes and Gardens classic cookbook as my starting point for French toast. It’s a simple combination of eggs, milk, vanilla and a splash of cinnamon. I always double mine, as I usually turn a whole loaf into French toast.
Obviously, the logical choice for bread is French bread, but other breads make great French toast, too. To try out Judy’s recipe, I picked up a loaf of Brioche. If you haven’t had Brioche bread, it is a divine thing, a golden loaf of bread made with more eggs and butter than your average loaf, making it rich and delicious.
Any variety of pear will do, as well, but I used Bosc, as they are plentiful this time of year. Slice up some ripe ones, removing the core and stem, then set them aside while you make the French toast.
I cooked the French toast on both sides and set them on a platter, covered in foil to keep them warm. Then I put some butter on the griddle, along with some brown sugar and let that get all melty. Lay some slices of pear on top of the buttery brown sugar, about the shape of the bread slices. Lay the bread on top of the pears and let it cook a bit more, until the pears are soft and slightly caramelized.
That’s really all it takes to turn a classic into something really special. It would make a great breakfast for Christmas Eve or Christmas morning, and a really easy way to knock the socks off of any breakfast guests.
I really do enjoy receiving recommendations and recipes to try from fellow foodie friends, so please share away and we will all eat well together, at least until we can ACTUALLY eat well together.
AuthorMelissa JoyDifficultyBeginnerWash and slice the pears, removing the core and stem. Set them aside.
Crack the eggs into a large shallow bowl, then add the milk, vanilla & cinnamon.
Whisk the contents of the bowl until well combined.
Dip each slice of bread into the egg mix, coating each side. Allow excess to drip off before placing onto a heated griddle.
Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown.
Once the first few slices are cooked, place them on a platter and cover with foil to keep them warm as you finish the rest of the bread.
Once all of the French toast is cooked, add some butter and brown sugar to your griddle and let it melt together a bit.
Lay some pear slices to fit the bread, then lay the French toast on top of the pears.
Allow the pears to cook until they are starting to get soft and slightly caramelized. Carefully remove to a plate and enjoy!
Ingredients
Directions
Wash and slice the pears, removing the core and stem. Set them aside.
Crack the eggs into a large shallow bowl, then add the milk, vanilla & cinnamon.
Whisk the contents of the bowl until well combined.
Dip each slice of bread into the egg mix, coating each side. Allow excess to drip off before placing onto a heated griddle.
Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown.
Once the first few slices are cooked, place them on a platter and cover with foil to keep them warm as you finish the rest of the bread.
Once all of the French toast is cooked, add some butter and brown sugar to your griddle and let it melt together a bit.
Lay some pear slices to fit the bread, then lay the French toast on top of the pears.
Allow the pears to cook until they are starting to get soft and slightly caramelized. Carefully remove to a plate and enjoy!
