PINA COLADA FRENCH TOAST

When we went to Hawaii a couple of years ago, I expected to see a million variations of piña colada flavored things. Piña colada, after all, is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of the quintessential tropical beverage. To my surprise, there actually weren’t a ton of piña colada flavored things in Hawaii. There were a lot of lilikoi (or passion fruit) flavored things and a lot of dishes with macadamia nuts offering a supporting role. As a fan of both, I can tell you that I wasn’t disappointed. Oh, but wouldn’t you know that it’s still the stubborn stereotype that springs to mind first when I’m dreaming up a new tropical recipe? We’ve got a return trip to Hawaii planned this summer and my mind is already wandering in the direction of all things tropical. That, my friends, is how this Piña Colada French Toast came into existence. I don’t mind telling you now that it’s the best sweet french toast recipe to ever emerge from my kitchen.

You guys should really make this for breakfast this weekend. Each bite is like a pillowy morsel of tropical goodness. The recipe highlights coconut by calling for it in several different applications. We use coconut milk, finely-ground coconut and toasted coconut. If you don’t like coconut, you will want to read no further, but I bet you already knew that.

Back in the day, I’d make french toast by dipping stale bread in an egg and milk mixture. But then, along came my rocket scientist husband (see also: breakfast and bartender extraordinaire) who takes a scientific approach to cooking. He prefers to include flour in his egg/milk mixture because it gives the finished french toast a crispier edge and more tender middle. He has a lot of degrees so I don’t argue with him. In this instance, he just so happens to be right. He opts not for all purpose flour, but for coconut flour. He’s really, really right.

The coconut flour alone doesn’t make this the best sweet french toast recipe ever to emerge from my kitchen. It’s the varied coconut applications that make this the best sweet french toast recipe ever to emerge from my kitchen. The bread is also dipped in coconut milk. We found that ciabatta bread held up nicely.

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PIÑA COLADA FRENCH TOAST

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons coconut oil
• 8 slices ciabatta bread
• 1/2 cup unsweetened, shaved coconut for toasting (optional)

FINELY GROUND COCONUT

• 2 cups unsweetened, shredded coconut

FOR THE DIPPING MIXTURE

• 5 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 4 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 eggs

FOR THE DREDGING MIXTURE

• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

FOR THE GLAZE

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 tablespoon dark rum

FOR THE COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions

Place  two cups of shredded, unsweetened coconut in a blender or the bowl of a food processor and finely grind the coconut until it is the texture of sand. You will use half of this ground coconut in the dipping mixture and the other half in the dredging mixture.

TO MAKE THE DIPPING MIXTURE:

1. In a medium bowl, combine butter, coconut milk, 1/2 of the finely ground shredded coconut, sugar, vanilla and eggs. Beat until well combined.
2. Transfer dipping mixture to a shallow dish and set aside.

TO MAKE THE DREDGING MIXTURE:

1. In a small bowl, combine the remaining finely ground shredded coconut, 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut flakes and brown sugar. Stir to combine. Transfer to a shallow dish and set aside.

TO MAKE THE GLAZE:

1. Combine powdered sugar, pineapple juice, melted butter and dark rum in a small bowl and use a beater or immersion blender to whip until frothy and smooth.

TO MAKE THE COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM:

1. Combine heavy cream, coconut milk and powdered sugar in a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat on high speed just until stiff peaks form.

TO MAKE THE FRENCH TOAST:

1. Dip one slice of bread in dipping mixture and turn to fully soak through.
2. Place the dipped bread in the dredging mixture and coat both sides of the bread.
3. Transfer the bread to a 350º, griddle greased with coconut oil. Allow the bread to cook for 4-6 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
4. Remove bread from griddle. Drizzle with glaze and top with whipped cream. Sprinkle on toasted coconut, if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1851Total Fat: 149gSaturated Fat: 114gCholesterol: 271mgSodium: 404mgFiber: 13gSugar: 83gProtein: 18g

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