Chef notes
One of the best French toasts I’ve ever had is served at La Note Restaurant in Berkeley, California. It's fluffy, decadent and completely crave-worthy. I always knew I wanted to create my own recipe inspired by La Note's French toast and the first element that came to mind was a luscious date caramel sauce to drizzle on top. In lieu of maple syrup or honey, this sweet and smooth date caramel is the perfect pairing for this star of the breakfast table.
Technique tip: Add 1 tablespoon of almond milk at a time to achieve desired consistency. If you want thicker caramel, add more dates.
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 large Medjool dates, pitted
- 3 tablespoons creamy almond butter
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 4 to 6 tablespoons almond milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened vanilla non-dairy milk
- Coconut oil for pan-frying
- 2 large slices sourdough bread or other thick bread like brioche
- Coconut sugar, for sprinkling
- Confectioners sugar (optional)
- Fresh berries (optional)
Preparation
Prepare the almond butter caramel:
In a high-speed blender, combine the dates, almond butter, coconut sugar and 1 tablespoon of almond milk at a time, blending until you reach the desired consistency and the caramel is smooth throughout. Set aside.
Make the French toast:
1.In a shallow dish, beat together the eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and nondairy milk.
2.Heat a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add coconut oil (about 1/2 tablespoon per slice).
3.Submerge one piece of bread into the egg mixture, flipping to make sure it’s evenly soaked.
4.Sprinkle each side of the soaked bread with a bit of coconut sugar and immediately place the bread in the hot pan.
5.Pan-fry for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until the French toast is cooked through and golden brown on both sides.
6.To serve, drizzle the almond butter-date caramel over the slices of French toast and top with powdered sugar and berries, if desired. Serve immediately.
