Banana Foster French Toast on Studio 5

Today I got to make a great new recipe for Studio 5. I love these challenges. And for some reason, sweet breads can be tricky. A few tips when making sweet breads;

1- Don’t over mix the batter. Stir until just combined. And better yet, stir by hand. Using a mixer can over mix the batter, causing a rubbery bread. No one wants that.

2- Leave your bananas or other fruits on the chunky side. I like this texture the best- it also allows you to see what you are eating. And it tastes better.

3- When adding nuts to the recipe, I suggest roasting them first. Bring out more flavor and that enhances your bread. It’s all about what’s on the inside that counts. Roast your nuts, at 350 degrees in a single layer on a baking sheet for 5-8 minutes. Check often to avoid burning.

So let’s get baking! Shall we???

 

 

Banana Bread

1 ¾ cup all purpose flour

½ cup sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 tsp. roasted cinnamon

3 medium ripe bananas (approx. 1 lb.), mashed but chunky

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¼ cup buttermilk

1 cup roasted pecans or walnuts (optional)

In a small bowl, mix together the dry ingredients; flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, salt and cinnamon. Whisk together. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mash the bananas, add the eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Stir until combined.

Gently pour wet ingredients into the dry, bringing together until just mixed. Do not over mix, as it can cause rubbery bread.

Pour the mixture into a well greased and floured bread pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes, or a knife comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool before cutting.

For the french toast mixture I whisked together:

3 large eggs

1 tsp. rum extract

1 cup whole milk

1 tsp. roasted cinnamon

Slice the banana bread into at least 1/2″ wide slices. Place the bread into the egg/milk mixture and coat both sides well. Place the coated bread into a heated skillet with some butter, or even coconut oil. Brown on both sides, just a few minutes is all it takes. Top with caramel sauce (recipe below) and sliced bananas.
Rum Caramel Sauce

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup butter

Pinch of salt

½ cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp. rum extract or 1 tbsp dark rum

1 medium banana, peeled and sliced

In a medium sauce pan, cook butter and sugar together for 2-3 minutes. Then add the salt, heavy cream and whisk together. Cook for another 1 minute while stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and add the rum and sliced bananas. Serve over warm banana French toast. Top with whipped cream if desired.

Happy Baking!