Caramelized Banana Nut Brioche French Toast

What is food to me? I have had people tell me that my face lights up when I talk about food. I instantly smile and get excited no matter what mood I am in. Even if I have had a challenging day, I can start talking about food and my mind wanders into my own foodtopia where I think back to different experiences or start developing recipes by creating all sorts of food combinations in my head. We all have that one thing that gets us excited and can easily pull us out of a funk at just the thought of it. That is what food is to me and why I started this blog last year. I love connecting with people through food either by having a simple conversation about a recipe, writing about food or inviting people over and sharing a meal with them. After a challenging day, most people want whatever their version is of comfort food. For me, comfort food gives you a warm feeling inside, allows you to release a slight moan and take a deep breath after the first bite. That’s a lot of positive stuff going on with just one bite and why this week’s recipe will be one of my favorite comfort foods.

I went to the farmers market on this frigid morning, and tried to find something quickly for a new recipe before my hands and feet went numb. I passed by the usual farmer and meat stands as nothing was jumping out at me that I really wanted to use in a recipe. I kept walking and all of a sudden these delicious looking muffins and pastries by The Gourmet Muffin stopped me in my tracks. It was not only how delicious they looked, but it was how they described them as well. Cannoli, s’mores and cinnamon sugar “cruffin” muffins to just name a few. They had so many varieties, including gluten free and vegan muffins. Most bakeries have one or two vegan or gluten free choices, but this company had quite a selection. All of their artisan muffins are all-natural, have no cholesterol and they use 100% olive oil and healthy flax in every muffin. One of their muffins caught my eye, caramelized banana and chocolate chip. I love the banana chocolate combo and was curious about the unusual caramelized banana ingredient so I had to get it. This company is based out of Orlando and apparently this flavor is one of the more popular varieties in that area. When I went home and ate the muffin, I quickly understood why people preferred this flavor. It was delicious! I could have used more banana in mine but I really enjoyed the moist texture and all the chocolate chips that they threw in there.

I also asked The Gourmet Muffin lady behind the table if their French brioche bread was baked that day, she said yes and that they normally sell out quickly. She was right because there was only one left, so I snagged that too. I LOVE brioche bread. Look at this thing! How can you not purchase it after smelling and seeing all this buttery goodness.

Brioche has a high egg and butter content that gives it a rich and soft texture. I like to make different types of sandwiches with it, specifically breakfast sandwiches and grilled cheeses. You can also make a flavored bread pudding or slice it thin and make toast points to serve with caviar and a side of crème fraiche. YUM! My favorite way to use brioche is by making French Toast. My boys and I love it and it is something that we all get excited about when I mention that I am going to make it. French toast is definitely one of my favorite breakfast foods that also gives me a sense of comfort when I need a little extra love. There is something about cinnamon spice and maple syrup drizzled over fried toast, with a custard-like center, that makes me feel all warm inside. It is making my mouth water just thinking about it. I got inspired by the muffin I bought and decided to make a Caramelized Banana Nut Brioche French Toast. You could drizzle some chocolate sauce on top if you really want to take it up a notch but I prefer more savory to sweet in the morning.

After slicing the bread into one inch slices, I mixed all the other ingredients together in a bowl and poured it into dish for the bread slices to soak. The more you let it sit and absorb, the more custardy it gets.

When frying the toast in the pan, I find that using butter provides the best flavor and I aim for a nice golden brown on both sides. While you cook the bread, you want to toss the bananas in cinnamon and brown sugar and then sear them for a couple minutes on each side. Do not flip the bananas until they have a nice sugary crust on them. Add in the pecans and heat through to release the oils and give the dish a nuttier flavor. When plating, top the toast with the banana slices, the toasted nuts and drizzle the entire dish with a little maple syrup. Real maple syrup folks, not the fake stuff.  Have you ever warmed up maple syrup before putting it on your pancakes, waffles or French toast? Just heat it in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds and serve. It makes such a difference to your whole breakfast experience.

The nutty maple flavors and the sweetness of the banana are such a great combination. It was almost like eating a warm piece of banana bread. What a difference the brioche bread makes versus just regular toast. It is so buttery and soft and it is perfect for this application. This dish wasn’t too sweet, which is right up my alley, and when paired with a great cup of coffee, it is a fantastic way to start your morning and make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. When going for comfort, I go for what makes me feel good…. Food=Happiness.