3657. NUTELLA and BACON STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

yields four servings


8 slices thick cut bacon
1 medium-sized loaf challah, sliced into 8 pieces about ¾-inch thick
4 heaping tablespoons Nutella
3 large eggs
½ cup half and half
½ cup whole milk
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, packed
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons butter

Maple syrup for serving

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top. Spray the rack with cooking spray and arrange the bacon in an even layer. Transfer the bacon to the oven and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Carefully remove bacon from the oven and transfer the strips to a paper towel lined plate to drain. When cool, crumble into small pieces and briefly set aside.

Slice the challah into 8 pieces about ¾-inches thick.

Now it’s time to “stuff” your French toast, which essentially means making Nutella and bacon sandwiches. For each sandwich: Spread one side of two pieces of bread with a heaping teaspoon of Nutella. Sprinkle 2 pieces of crumbled bacon on one of the slices of bread. Sandwich the two pieces of bread together, making sure that they are well sealed.

In a shallow baking dish, whisk together the eggs, half and half, whole milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Set it on the counter next to the stove. Place a large pan over medium-low heat.

Add two of the Bacon-Nutella sandwiches to the custard mixture and let soak for 1 minute. Use a spatula to flip the sandwiches over and soak for 1 more minute on the other side.

While the bread is soaking, add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. When it’s melted and foaming slightly, remove each sandwich from the custard, holding it over the baking dish for a few seconds to let any excess custard drip off. Place the sandwiches gently in the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. (Keep a close eye on your French toast while it cooks, friends! Burning it is a bummer.)

When the first batch of stuffed French toast is almost finished cooking, place the remaining two sandwiches in the custard to soak. Repeat the cooking process with the second batch.

Serve your Bacon and Nutella Stuffed French Toast warm. Top with powdered sugar or drizzle with maple syrup and brace yourself...

bacon recipe source: Serena Wolf (@serenagwolf), Domesticate Me, March 20, 2014

3644. BACON FUNNEL CAKES with NUTELLA CREAM

Funnel Cakes
14 strips bacon, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups milk, 2% or whole
2 cups vegetable oil
¼ cup confectioners' sugar

Nutella Cream
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup Nutella

Funnel Cakes: Cook bacon until crispy and drain on paper towels. Once cooled, crumble 6 strips into pieces small enough to fit through the end of your funnel after being added to batter, and set aside. Reserve remaining 8 strips for garnish.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, stir together eggs, vanilla and milk. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, and beat with a mixer until smooth. The mixture should be thin enough to run through a small kitchen funnel. Test it, and if it is too thick, beat in a little more milk; if too thin, beat in a bit more flour. Add crumbled bacon and stir to combine.

In an 8-inch skillet, heat oil to 360ºF. Place your finger over opening of funnel, and fill funnel with ½ cup batter. Hold funnel close to surface of oil, and release batter into oil while moving funnel in a circular motion to create a small circle in the middle of the pan. Continue rotating the funnel around the pan to create larger circles until funnel cake is desired size. Fry until golden-brown. Use tongs to turn the cake over carefully, and fry 1 additional minute. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat until batter is gone.

Nutella Cream: Add cream to small saucepan and warm over medium heat, careful not to let it boil. Add Nutella, and when it starts to melt, stir until completely combined and warm.

To Serve: Drizzle funnel cakes with Nutella cream, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and top with remaining strips of bacon. Serve immediately.


bacon recipe source: Angela Komis, Feast Magazine (@feastmag), Feast Media, 900 N. Tucker Blvd., 4th Floor, St. Louis, MO 63101