Welcome to the third annual #BrunchWeek hosted by Terri from Love and Confections and Shaina from Take A Bite Out Of Boca. We are so excited to have you join us this year! Celebrate Brunch with us this week as we prepare for Mother’s Day. 30 Bloggers from around the country will showcase their best brunch dishes, from cocktails to casseroles, breakfast breads, sandwiches and salads – there is something for everyone!
This Macadamia Nut Crusted French Toast is served with a homemade Spiced Pineapple Syrup that will have your guests swooning at every bite.
20 minPrep Time
20 minCook Time
40 minTotal Time
Ingredients
- 1 loaf of challah bread, sliced into 1/2″ slices
- 4 large eggs
- 2/3 cup of pineapple juice
- 1/3 cup of milk
- 2 tablespoons of butter, melted
- 1/4 cup of light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (if you want a more intense vanilla flavor)
- 1/2 cup of macadamia nuts
- 2 cups of cornflakes
- 1/2 cup of light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup of pineapple juice
- 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a glass dish, whisk the eggs until they are blended thoroughly.
- Whisk in the pineapple juice and milk until they are thoroughly combined with the egg mixture.
- Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla extract. Whisk until blended.
- Chop the macadamia nuts until they are small and fine, perfect for dredging.
- Place the cornflakes in a small plastic bag and seal. Crush the cornflakes until they turn into crumbs, perfect for dredging.
- In another glass dish, add the chopped macadamia nuts and cornflakes and stir to combine.
- To the egg mixture, add the slices of challah. Let soak for a minute or two and then flip to coat the other side.
- Drain any excess coating and then add the soaked challah slices to the macadamia nut coating and lightly press to adhere the coating to the bread.
- Flip and repeat on the other side. Remove to the prepared baking dish.
- When all is coated, bake for about 7 – 10 minutes, until they are toasty and brown. Flip and bake for another 7 minutes or so.
- While the french toast is in the oven, make the pineapple syrup.
- In a saucepan, add the brown sugar and pineapple juice. Whisk so that the sugar is dissolved. Add the cinnamon and whisk again.
- Bring the syrup mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes or so until it has thickened slightly.
- Add the vanilla extract and stir, cooking for a minute more.
- Remove the french toast from the oven and serve with a drizzle of the spiced pineapple syrup.
- Enjoy!
I am so excited to be participating in #BrunchWeek this year. These are a fabulous group of bloggers that have brought their best brunch dishes to the virtual table. I have some delicious dishes to share with you this week and this Macadamia Nut Crusted French Toast with Spiced Pineapple Syrup will have you thinking of warm breezes, palm trees and calming blue seas with every bite.
I adore macadamia nuts. Yes, they are a bit indulgent but if you use them wisely, like in this french toast recipe, the flavor payoff is amazing. Toasty, buttery and rich – only a small amount is needed. I’m also a huge fan of making a syrup to go with. Sure, maple syrup is divine with this but this spiced pineapple syrup really took things over the top.
While you could crust the entire french toast with macadamia nuts, I have a much better idea. Macadamia nuts around here are expensive so to stretch my wallet a bit (and maginify the crunch effect) I mixed the finely chopped macadamia nuts with some crushed cornflakes. This crunchtastic mixture coated buttery challah bread which was soaked in a pineapple eggy custard. Are you hungry yet?
This is a dish that I will be making often – it’s ridiculously easy but looks amazing. Added bonus – everything is baked in the oven so no standing over a fry pan or griddle flipping 2 slices at a time. While everything gets toasty in the oven, you can whisk together an easy spiced pineapple syrup and when that is ready, it’s just in time to be drizzled over the toasty slices that just came out of the oven. How easy is that?
When you are looking for a sweet showstopper of a brunch dish, make this Macadamia Nut Crusted French Toast with Spiced Pineapple Syrup!
On to the recipe:
Gather your ingredients
Sugar and Spice – perfect accents to this pineapple egg custard
Let’s get this crunchy coating ready
Coated and ready for the oven
Should I make you a plate
Now – don’t you want this for brunch?
Aly M. Cleary
Yields 4
This Macadamia Nut Crusted French Toast is served with a homemade Spiced Pineapple Syrup that will have your guests swooning at every bite.
20 minPrep Time
20 minCook Time
40 minTotal Time
Ingredients
-
- 1 loaf of challah bread, sliced into 1/2″ slices
- 4 large eggs
- 2/3 cup of pineapple juice
- 1/3 cup of milk
- 2 tablespoons of butter, melted
- 1/4 cup of light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (if you want a more intense vanilla flavor)
- 1/2 cup of macadamia nuts
- 2 cups of cornflakes
- 1/2 cup of light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup of pineapple juice
- 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a glass dish, whisk the eggs until they are blended thoroughly.
- Whisk in the pineapple juice and milk until they are thoroughly combined with the egg mixture.
- Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla extract. Whisk until blended.
- Chop the macadamia nuts until they are small and fine, perfect for dredging.
- Place the cornflakes in a small plastic bag and seal. Crush the cornflakes until they turn into crumbs, perfect for dredging.
- In another glass dish, add the chopped macadamia nuts and cornflakes and stir to combine.
- To the egg mixture, add the slices of challah. Let soak for a minute or two and then flip to coat the other side.
- Drain any excess coating and then add the soaked challah slices to the macadamia nut coating and lightly press to adhere the coating to the bread.
- Flip and repeat on the other side. Remove to the prepared baking dish.
- When all is coated, bake for about 7 – 10 minutes, until they are toasty and brown. Flip and bake for another 7 minutes or so.
- While the french toast is in the oven, make the pineapple syrup.
- In a saucepan, add the brown sugar and pineapple juice. Whisk so that the sugar is dissolved. Add the cinnamon and whisk again.
- Bring the syrup mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes or so until it has thickened slightly.
- Add the vanilla extract and stir, cooking for a minute more.
- Remove the french toast from the oven and serve with a drizzle of the spiced pineapple syrup.
- Enjoy!
/macadamia-nut-crusted-french-toast-with-spiced-pineapple-syrup/
Take a look at what the #BrunchWeek Bloggers are creating today!
BrunchWeek Beverages:
Blueberry Sangria from Love and Confections.
Bloody Margarita from The Suburban Soapbox
BrunchWeek Egg Dishes:
Caramelized Onion, Swiss Chard, Mushroom and Alpine Cheddar Croissant Strata from Taste Cook Sip.
Crab Cake Eggs Benedict from The Redhead Baker.
Fried Eggs with Kale and Mushrooms from Hip Foodie Mom.
Chimichurri Breakfast Sandwich from Healthy Delicious.
Asparagus, Brie and Smoked Salmon Omelet from girlichef.
Braised Leeks with Poached Eggs from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner.
BrunchWeek Breads, Grains and Pastries:
Savory Pancetta and Cheddar Waffles from The Little Ferraro Kitchen.
Avocado Toast Bar from Sarcastic Cooking.
Mocha Nut Granola from greens & chocolate.
Chocolate Hazelnut Croissants with Bourbon Sauce from {i love} my disorganized life.
Berry Cacao Nib Scone Cakes from The Spiffy Cookie
Spiced Pear Oatmeal from Making Miracles.
Overnight Cinnamon Bread French Toast from That Skinny Chick Can Bake.
Nutty Chocolatey Oatmeal Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm.
Vanilla Orange Scones from Sew You Think You Can Cook.
Sour Cream and Dark Chocolate Oat Bread from Bread Booze Bacon.
Cherry Vanilla Almond Granola from Cupcakes & Kale Chips.
Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins from My Catholic Kitchen.
Macadamia Nut Crusted French Toast with Spiced Pineapple Syrup from Cooking in Stilettos.
Maple Cinnamon Scones from Pink Cake Plate
BrunchWeek Main Dishes:
Breakfast Wraps from Big Bear’s Wife.
Brunch Charcuterie Cheese Board from Quarter Life (Crisis) Cuisine.
BrunchWeek Fruits, Vegetables and Sides:
Whipped Yogurt and Ricotta with Figs and Honey from Take A Bite Out of Boca.
Gluten Free Swiss Chard and Mushroom Galette from It Bakes Me Happy.
BrunchWeek Desserts:
Mini Creamsicle Bundt Cake with Vanilla Bean Glaze from It’s Yummi.
Lemon Bars from Chelsea’s Messy Apron.
Chocolate Walnut Macarons with Salted Caramel from Baking a Moment.
Have you entered the fabulous #BrunchWeek Giveaway yet? Enter HERE to win!
Disclaimer: Thank you to #BrunchWeek Sponsors: Bob’s Red Mill, Cabot Creamery Cooperative, California Walnuts, Dixie Crystals, Grimmway Farms/Cal-Organic/True Juice, KitchenAid, Le Creuset, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, Pacari Chocolate, Stonyfield Organic, Vidalia Onions, and Woot Froot for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #BrunchWeek. All opinions are my own.