Banoffee Toast

Makes: 1 portion of 2 toasts (serving size as shown)

Banoffee pie is traditionally an English dessert pie made with bananas, cream, and toffee on a biscuit base. This version of French toast pays (easy) homage to the pie.

Note: I used a croissant bread loaf (best of both worlds, am I right?) but challah or brioche will work just as well. Since the bread is to be soaked in the banana/egg batter overnight, just ensure that the slices are between half to an inch thick, to prevent the bread from disintegrating before cooking.

Ingredients

GROUP A: TOFFEE SAUCE

• 3 tsp brown sugar

• 2 tsp butter

• 1 tbsp heavy cream

GROUP B: TOAST

• 1 very ripe banana

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom

• 1 tsp sugar

• Salt & pepper, to taste

• 1/4 cup heavy cream (substitute: whole milk)

• 1 large egg

• 2 thick slices of bread of choice

• 1/2 tsp butter

Method

• Toffee sauce: Add all the ingredients to a ramekin or a small heat-resistant bowl. Make a water bath by placing the ramekin in a deep cook pot, and fill the pot with water, till the ramekin is halfway submerged. Take the ramekin out of the pot, and bring the water to a rolling boil on high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and gently lower the ramekin into the water. Continuously stir the contents of the ramekin till there are no sugar crystals or tiny blobs of butter remaining, and a homogeneous sauce is formed. It will be quite runny at this point. Take the pot off heat, and leave the ramekin in the hot water till the toffee sauce is to be used. Makes about 2 tablespoons of toffee sauce.

  *Note: The sauce will start to thicken once it is taken off heat and out of the hot water, so you have complete control over the consistency, if using immediately. Alternatively, the sauce can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month for long-term use.

• Make the toast batter: Mash the banana and whisk it together with the egg, heavy cream, vanilla extract, sugar, cardamom, salt, and pepper. Pour the batter over the bread slices till they are fully soaked, and chill overnight.

• Heat the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Gently shake off any excess batter from the bread slices before transferring to the skillet. Cook till golden brown, then flip, and repeat. Transfer to a plate and drizzle with warm toffee sauce.