Giant Spanish-style French Toast with Caramelized Banana

A giant French toast with a vanilla scent, fried in oil and butter, and served with caramelized banana... All of it drizzled with melted chocolate! In my opinion it’s a perfect combination, turning this recipe into a delicious, definitive French toast.

It is interesting to think that this is a dish to prepare and eat right away, since the French toast, the chocolate, and the banana are best enjoyed hot. So it’s an ideal weekend breakfast to savor slowly.

I hope you feel inspired to make them, because they are delicious.

If you have leftover mona de Pascua, brioche, pastries... you can also follow the recipe with those baked goods — it’s a great way to use them up!

Ingredients

For the caramelized bananas

• 60 g granulated sugar
• 60 ml water
• 4 small bananas,
• 50 g butter

For the French toast

• One large white bread loaf (you will need between 8 and 10 slices)
• 4 XL eggs
• 65 ml milk
• 5 ml vanilla extract
• Olive oil and butter for frying

To serve

• 100 g melted dark chocolate
• 10 large white marshmallows, cut into pieces or slices
• Digestive biscuits, crushed

Preparation

How to make the caramelized bananas:

1. Peel the bananas and cut them crosswise
2. Put the sugar and water in a frying pan* and heat gently until the sugar dissolves and begins to caramelize.
3. When the sugar is golden and bubbling, add the bananas, flat side down, and fry them in the caramel.
4. Turn them once and add the butter.
5. When bubbles begin to appear in the butter, turn off the heat.
6. Keep the pan aside until serving time.

*I recommend using an iron skillet, like the skillet or the one with a wooden handle, because besides providing 100% natural cooking, when it comes time to clean it you’ll be able to remove the caramel residue easily.

Now prepare the French toast:

1. Cut the bread into three large rounds if using a round loaf, or into 8 to 10 slices if using a loaf.
2. In a bowl, mix the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract.
3. Heat a deep iron skillet28 cm Le Creuset braiser or a wooden-handled frying pan; add olive oil and a tablespoon of butter.
4. Once the butter is foamy, it will be time to add the soaked bread.
5. Dip the bread briefly in the bowl so it soaks up the mixture (turn it to wet both sides) just before frying (do not soak it excessively so that, since the slices are large, they don’t fall apart or break from absorbing too much liquid).
6. Place the bread in the pan and fry on both sides until golden.
7. Repeat with the remaining bread.

For serving:

1. The French toast is delicious right after being prepared.
2. Place the French toast on a platter, drizzle with the melted chocolate, cover with the caramelized bananas, place the marshmallows on top and use a kitchen torch to caramelize them.
3. Sprinkle with the crushed biscuits, pour a little more chocolate as a final decoration and serve immediately while hot.