Baked Apple-Cinnamon French Toast
Emily Kennedy, EatingWell

 

Baked Apple-Cinnamon French Toast

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Secrets to healthier, more delicious French toast

There is a small cafe called 3 Squares in the town where I live that makes what I consider to be the world's best French toast. It's nothing fancy -- made with challah bread and served with cinnamon whipped cream, sliced berries and bananas. It is the kind of breakfast that I crave, and I have made it my mission to figure out how to make it (and make it healthier) at home. Here are my secrets to perfect, healthier French toast:

Get the right bread:

You want bread that does not have too chewy or tough a crust or too many holes. This means avoid your beloved French baguette and fancy artisan breads. And while bread made from white all-purpose flour may taste good, it won't do much for you nutritionally. You don't have to sacrifice taste to get the benefits of fiber from a whole-grain bread. To make a tasty, whole-grain French toast, I like to use a medium-density, semi-soft bread like thick-sliced whole-wheat, multi-grain or oatmeal sandwich bread, which is soft without being too delicate.

Use a sturdy pan:

I like to make my French toast in a cast-iron pan, which gets nice and hot and maintains its heat evenly. I heat my pan slowly over medium-high heat and use just enough melted butter to barely coat the inside. This gives the toast a delicate, crispy exterior without drying out the interior. Think creme brulee -- crackly, sugary shell on top of silky pudding.

Use low-fat dairy:

Traditional French toast recipes call for heavy cream, eggs and vanilla extract to make the custard. To make a healthier version with less fat and fewer calories, I use reduced-fat or nonfat milk in place of the cream and a combination of whole eggs and egg whites. Replace one egg with two egg whites. No one will know the difference. Vanilla or almond extract and a sprinkle of cinnamon will add flavor without any added fat or calories.

Be creative with your toppings:

The French toast I get at 3 Squares Cafe is decadently topped with a generous dollop of cinnamon whipped cream and sliced fresh fruit. At home, I prefer something lighter. So I whip just a tiny bit of heavy cream and fold it into nonfat Greek-style yogurt. I promise it is delicious, and you save saturated fat and calories by cutting some of the whipped cream with thick and rich Greek-style yogurt. Just be careful not to eat the whole bowlful by yourself.

Other easy, healthy toppings include fresh fruit, a spoonful of fruit jam or preserves or even a smear of peanut or almond butter. Finally, a tablespoonful or two of genuine Vermont maple syrup is always a good choice -- there's nothing to beat it, and a little goes a long way.

Baked Apple-Cinnamon French Toast

Serves 12.

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 9 1/2 hours (including 8 hours refrigeration time)

This baked apple-cinnamon French toast can be prepared in advance and then simply popped in the oven for a leisurely and luxurious weekend morning. By using nonfat instead of whole milk and eliminating the egg yolks, the calories are cut by half and the fat is reduced by nearly 80 percent in our griddle-free version.

3 cups nonfat milk

2 cups pasteurized liquid egg whites, such as Egg Beaters

3 tablespoons honey

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 loaf (1 pound) sliced whole-wheat bread

1 cup chopped dried apples (3 ounces)

1/2 cup raisins

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Whisk milk, egg whites, honey, vanilla and salt in a large bowl.

Trim crusts off 8 bread slices and set aside. Cut the crusts and the remaining bread into 1-inch pieces. Toss with dried apples, raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg in another large bowl.

Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Transfer the bread mixture to the pan. Lay the reserved crustless slices evenly on top, trimming to fit. Whisk the milk mixture one more time, then pour evenly over the bread. Press the bread down with the back of a wooden spoon, making sure it's evenly moist. Cover with parchment paper, then foil, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Bake the casserole, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until puffed, set and lightly browned, about 20 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes; dust with confectioners' sugar and serve.

To make ahead: Prepare through Step 3 and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Recipe Nutrition:

Per serving: 183 calories; 1 g fat (0 g sat, 1 g mono); 1 mg cholesterol; 33 g carbohydrate; 10 g protein; 4 g fiber; 344 mg sodium; 313 mg potassium

Nutrition bonus: Selenium (21 percent daily value).

2 carbohydrate servings

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 fruit

French Toast, Breakfast

 

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