Caribbean French Toast Topped With Pineapple Banana Compote

Caribbean French Toast is sweet, warm, crispy, creamy and filled with the tastes of the tropics. This perfect breakfast dish contains a host of island flavors including lime, coconut, pineapple, vanilla, and banana. This is THE ideal recipe for breakfast or brunch because most of the prep-work is done the night before, taken from the fridge to the oven the next morning. While CFT is baking in your oven, the most divine aromas fill your home and it looks very impressive when plated, ready to serve your family or guests. What's not to love about that?

 

Caribbean French Toast was born from a simple but effective recipe for Coconut Toast. Sometimes this can be one of the hazards of  being a cook....you usually find yourself thinking somehow you can make that recipe even BETTER. On occasion, that philosophy works in your favor and others not so much. So what makes Caribbean French Toast so fantastic? A buttery syrup made with both lime and pineapple juices, dark brown sugar and coconut milk serves as the base and over the top you pour a rich egg custard flavored with exotic vanilla and then sprinkled with coconut. This is no ordinary french toast.....this is french toast, bread pudding and macaroons all rolled into one. YUM IS RIGHT!

It sits in the fridge overnight so that the bread can soak up the flavors, then bakes to a golden brown.

While the toast bakes, you make a warm banana and pineapple topping.

Caribbean French Toast 

The soft and custard like French toast has crisp coco-nutty crust and the fruit topping finishes the Caribe flavors perfectly. Take a bite and you'll feel those warm breezes on your cheek. What could be nicer?

 

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter

½ cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons molasses or corn syrup

 zest of 3 limes

juice of 3 limes

1/3 cup juice drained from the can of crushed pineapple

½ cup canned coconut milk

2 eggs

3 egg whites

1 cup milk

1/2 tablespoon vanilla

1+ cup flaked coconut, however much you desire

1/2 loaf French bread, cut into inch thick slices
 

What To Do

Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick foil.

In a medium saucepan over low heat combine the butter, brown sugar, molasses or corn syrup, lime zest and juice, and pineapple juice. Cook about 5 minutes, until the butter and sugar have melted. Remove from heat and stir in coconut milk. Cool. Pour into the baking dish.

In a mixing bowl, mix eggs, egg whites, milk and vanilla. Blend well. Arrange the bread slices in one layer over the lime mixture and pour the whipped egg and milk mixture over the bread. Sprinkle with the coconut. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to baking and allow to return to room temperature.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until golden brown. If needed, place under broiler to give the coconut a slight toasting. Watch so it doesn't burn.

 

Place 2 slices of the baked Lime French Toast on each plate. Top with Pineapple Banana Compote and garnish with a bit of sifted confectioners’ sugar.

Pineapple Banana Compote

Ingredients

 1 large banana, sliced

4 tablespoons butter

8 oz can crushed pineapple in juice, drained completely,

reserving  some of the juice for the French Toast

 

What To Do

In a saute’ pan, melt the butter. Over medium high heat cook the banana in the butter until golden and softened. Add the pineapple and stir to combine well. Heat just until the pineapple is warm.

Tuck into this most tropical of breakfasts

and image the warm trade winds!

 

You'll be glad ya did!

 

ENJOY!

the domestic curator ~ ronda