Sugar Crusted French Toast With Honeyed Apples Food

SUGAR-CRUSTED FRENCH TOAST WITH HONEYED APPLES

Steps:

• For poached apples:
• Combine first 7 ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 minutes. Add apples; cover and simmer until tender, about 12 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer apples to bowl. Boil syrup in saucepan until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 10 minutes. Add syrup to bowl with apples. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.)
• For french toast:
• Whisk eggs, yolks, milk, 2/3 cup sugar, vanilla, and salt in 15x10x2-inch baking dish. Place bread in single layer in egg mixture; spoon egg mixture over bread and let stand until soaked through, about 3 minutes.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in each of 2 large nonstick skillets over medium heat. Sprinkle each skillet with 2 tablespoons sugar. Add 3 bread slices to each skillet; cook until deep golden on bottom, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle top of bread slices with sugar, using 2 tablespoons for each skillet; turn slices over and cook until deep golden on bottom, about 3 minutes. Transfer French toast to plates. Place 1 apple half alongside each serving. Drizzle French toast with some of syrup from apples and serve.
• *Brown star-shaped seedpods sold at Asian markets and specialty foods stores and in the spice section of some supermarkets.

APPLE CINNAMON FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Add apple slices, brown sugar, and butter in a medium sauce pan. Cook over medium high heat until brown sugar has dissolved and butter has melted. Add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 6-8 minutes longer. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly and thicken while you prepare toast.
• In a large, wide bowl whisk together eggs, vanilla, milk, and cinnamon. Stir in flour and whisk until smooth. Completely submerge one slice of bread in the mixture, careful to coat both sides. Lift the bread out of the liquid and allow to drip off excess.
• Cook toast in a large pan over medium heat 1-2 minutes until lightly browned, then flip and cook other side 1-2 minutes. Repeat with remaining bread slices. Generously top toasts with apple-cinnamon mixture. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.