WINNIPEG — Chef Rob Thomas offers up a delicious brunch recipe that elevates the average French toast, apple caramel baked French toast.
Moving on to the dinner portion of your Easter, he has a suggestion that could serve as an appetizer or a side dish, prosciutto-wrapped asparagus with balsamic syrup.
Chef Rob’s Apple Caramel Baked French Toast
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbspns light corn syrups
- 2 apples cored and sliced
- 1 tbspn butter
- 1 loaf of bread cut in to 1″ slices, crusts removed
- 6 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups half-and-half cream
- 1 tspn vanilla extract
- 2 tspns ginger powder
- 2 tspns cinnamon powder
- pinch of salt
In a small saucepan, melt butter with brown sugar and corn syrup over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Pour into a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking dish, making sure base of the dish is covered.
In a medium-sized frying pan, saute apple slices in butter until soft (about 2 min).
Arrange apple slices on top of caramel, followed by bread slices on top.
Whisk eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, ginger powder, cinnamon and salt until well combined. Pour evenly over bread. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 6 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (Fahrenheit).
Bake, uncovered, in the middle of the oven until puffed and golden, about 45 minutes. Let cool a few minutes, then serve.
WATCH: Chef Rob cooks up apple caramel baked french toast
Chef Rob’s Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus with Balsamic Syrup
- 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- pinch of sugar
- 36 thick spears of asparagus, trimmed
- 18 slices of prosciutto
- 3 tbspns butter
In a small, heavy-bottomed pot simmer balsamic vinegar over medium heat until reduced by about two-thirds and slightly syrupy, 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat and let syrup cool.
Blanch the asparagus (add asparagus to a pan of boiling water, cook for two minutes or until bright green, drain, run under cold water to stop the cooking process).
Lay one slice of prosciutto on a clean surface, Put two asparagus spears on end closest to you, perpendicular to prosciutto, tips facing in the same direction, then roll up prosciutto around asparagus. Repeat with remaining prosciutto and asparagus.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Pan-fry the prosciutto-wrapped asparagus bundles. Cook until browned on each side, about 30-45 seconds per side. Transfer to a plate once both sides are crisp. Repeat process with remaining butter and prosciutto wrapped asparagus bundles.
Drizzle some of the vinegar syrup on the prosciutto wrapped asparagus bundles, serve and enjoy.
WATCH: Chef Rob cooks up prosciutto-wrapped asparagus with balsamic syrup
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