Wait! Don’t eat all your banana bread quite yet — save some for this indulgent and decadent Banana Bread French Toast, worthy of a special occasion… or any day.
Earlier this week, I shared a recipe for my favorite chocolate chip banana bread. Full of mashed bananas, chocolate chips, and a few hazelnuts for crunch, it’s pretty darn great on its own, if I may say so myself.
So how do we make it even better? We dip it in eggs and milk, cook it to golden brown, and cover it with more sliced bananas, powdered sugar, and a drizzle of chocolate. Banana bread french toast. That’s how.
We had friends come and stay with us for New Year’s Eve again this year, and this is what I served for brunch the next day before our annual Mummers Parade experience, along with mimosas (because… New Years).
Seven weeks later, I’m still dreaming about this French toast. And I don’t even particularly like French toast. In other words, it’s awesome, and you should make it right now. Or at least this weekend.
Before I get into the recipe itself, let’s talk French toast for a second. I think one of the reasons I don’t really enjoy French toast is because it’s often way too dry or way too soggy — it’s so hard to find that perfect middle ground.
French toast should be golden brown outside and soft and creamy inside – not dry bread, not dripping with egg. Slices roughly one inch thick are the best way to ensure this — too thin, and the bread gets too soggy; too thick, and the custard never reaches the middle of the bread and it’s too dry.
While you can use fresh bread, I prefer to let mine sit out for a day or two, so go ahead, enjoy a few slices of banana bread plain the day after you make it, and wait for the bread to get just slightly stale before turning it into french toast.
French toast is so delicious because the outside gets nice and toasty while the inside remains soft and creamy. But browning the outside isn’t just about color – it also generates a lot of flavor, thanks to the Maillard reaction. What is this, and why is it so important for our French toast? It’s time for my favorite subject… kitchen chemistry!
Kitchen Chemistry
The Maillard reaction is a complex chemical process that occurs when amino acids from proteins and reducing sugars are exposed to heat. When the banana bread slices are placed on the hot skillet, the moisture on the surface evaporates and the bread begins to dry out, concentrating flavors. As the bread continues to heat up, the nucleophilic amino group of the amino acids interacts with the reactive carbonyl group of the sugars, resulting in the development of hundreds of different flavor compounds, including those responsible for the toasty, nutty, and caramel-like notes we associate with French toast.
Ready to make your French toast? Here’s how we’re going to do it:
Really, you can do anything with banana bread French toast. Cut a slice extra thick and stuff some cream cheese (or peanut butter!) in the middle for stuffed French toast. Opt for a simple dusting of powdered sugar and fresh berries (or more banana slices). Cover with chocolate chips or some crushed nuts.
My personal favorite toppings, however? Some powdered sugar, more sliced bananas, and a beautiful drizzle of melted chocolate. My husband likes to go really overboard and top his with some maple syrup, too. But hey, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right? You don’t want to skimp.
More Entertaining-Worthy Brunch Recipes:
An indulgent and decadent breakfast, worthy of a special occasion… or any day.
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