Honey Butter French Toast

I'm not what you'd call a history buff, but I appreciate the fact that so much of the food we eat actually has an interesting history. We love eating French Toast and recently wondered where this popular breakfast dish got its name. Turns out, it was created by medieval European cooks who had to use every bit of food they could find to feed their families. They knew that old, stale bread could be revived when moistened and heated. The French term for their recipe using old bread is known as "pain perdu," which literally means "lost bread."

So, stale or lost bread can be "revived" into a delicious breakfast treat; one that I like to enjoy on the occasional Sunday morning.

Okay, history lesson is over. This oven-baked version of French Toast is has a hint of apple and is toasty on one side/syrupy on the other. It's one of our new favorites from the Joy of Cooking Kitchen Cookbook 1997 version (throwin' it wayyyy back). This recipe is milk-free, scrumptious, and easy to prepare.

Melt together honey and butter in a 12x9-inch glass baking pan in the oven until the butter is liquid and the honey is bubbling. Already off to a great start, right?

Remove the pan from the oven, stir to mix the honey and butter, and sprinkle chopped pecans over the surface.

Whisk together apple cider, eggs, cinnamon, salt and allspice together in a bowl.

One or two at a time, dip the bread into the mixture. We used Texas Toast, but you could use any white or egg bread. Turn the slices in the egg mixture until thoroughly saturated, but not falling apart.

Arrange soaked bread over the nuts in the baking pan, sprinkle with more cinnamon and bake until the top is golden brown and the bottom is bubbly, 15-20 minutes.

Easy as pie, right? French toast is not rocket science, just pure deliciousness.

Make this breakfast your own by mixing up the nuts, adding fresh fruit, or whipped cream.

PS - if you want an even sweeter French Toast recipe, try Mascarpone French Toast Bake.

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Honey Butter French Toast

• 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• ⅔ cup apple cider
• 4 large eggs
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• pinch of ground allspice (optional)
• 6 thick slices white or egg bread, with or without crusts

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Place butter and honey in a 12x9-inch glass baking pan. Heat in the oven until the butter is melted and the honey is bubbling. Do not allow the mixture to take on any color. Remove pan from the oven, stir to mix the honey and butter, sprinkle pecans over the surface.

2. While the butter and honey are melting, whisk cider, eggs, cinnamon, salt and allspice together in a shallow bowl.

3. One or two at a time, add bread. Turn the slices in the egg mixture until thoroughly saturated, but not falling apart. 

4. Arrange soaked bread over the nuts in the baking pan.

5. Bake until the top is golden brown and the bottom is bubbly, 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately with honey or pure maple syrup

For a festive touch, garnish with fresh berries, peach or nectarine slices, sliced bananas, toasted almonds or powdered sugar.