*This Chocolate Banana Bread French Toast is stuffed with homemade nutella, topped with a honey sweetened coconut cream, and is gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free.
Sweet breakfasts are not really my thing. I’m much more inclined to make a savory egg dish or something featuring meats and veggies than I am to serve up a stack of syrup-soaked pancakes or a even a bowl full of sugary cereal. I visited a few countries in Europe about a decade ago and was thrilled to discover that a traditional European breakfast consisted of a variety of cured meats (liverwurst!!!!! Prosciutto!!!!), pastries (hello, croissants), and tea.
I’d like to say that trip altered my previously normal breakfast preferences, but truth be told, I’ve always been a dinner for breakfast sort of girl. No need to worry that leftovers might go to waste if I’m around. I’ll take that pot roast off of your hands for my morning meal any time.
But sometimes there are exceptions. And if there is an exception it is because the dish happens to be so amazing I would be a fool to refuse it for any meal – partiality to savory things aside.
Such an exception exists in this french toast – slices of super moist, chocolate-y banana bread are spread with a homemade chocolate hazelnut spread (you may remember both of these components from last week), topped with another sliced of bread, dipped in an egg batter and fried to a golden brown on both sides.
The crisp on the outside, soft on the inside pieces of french toast are sliced to reveal an oozing ripple of melted chocolate hazelnut goodness, then topped with a honey sweetened mound of coconut cream and fresh strawberries.
How could anyone not make an exception for that?
If you make the banana bread and the hazelnut spread ahead of time, this breakfast is a breeze to throw together. I make a double batch of the banana bread – one to eat right away, and one to freeze for dishes such as this.
The hazelnut spread keeps will in the refrigerator and you’ll want to have it around for so many other things that there really is no excuse to not have a jar in the fridge at all times.
If keeping this dish dairy free is not a concern for you, switch the coconut cream for Creme Fraiche. Creme Fraiche is a french cultured cream that is rich and creamy in texture and a bit sour in flavor (since it’s cultured). Sweeten it lightly with honey and add a little bit to the top of the french toast for a really decadent treat.
A few more of my favorite sweet breakfasts:
Mixed Berry Goats Cheese Croissant Bread Pudding
Coconut Chia Pudding with Blood Orange Gelee
Gingerbread Cream Cheese Doughnut Muffins
- 8 slices Chocolate Blender Banana Bread
- Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
- 3 large Eggs
- ¾ cup Almond Milk
- pinch of Sea Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- Coconut oil, to grease the pan
- Coconut Cream (from one can of coconut milk - discard liquid)
- Honey, to taste
- Raw Cacao Powder, for dusting
- Sliced strawberries, for garnish
- Place the coconut cream in a mixing bowl and whisk in honey until desired sweetness is achieved. Place int he fridge.
- Lay out four slices of the banana bread and coat each generously with chocolate hazelnut spread. Top each spread-coated slice with another slice of banana bread and press together.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and vanilla until well combined.
- Grease a large skillet with coconut oil and heat to medium/high.
- Dip each banana bread sandwich in the egg batter, coating both sides well. Place each dipped sandwich on the hot pan and cook until golden brown on the bottom. Turn and cook until the second side is golden brown. Remove and slice each sandwich in half.
- Serve topped with a spoonful of coconut cream, a dusting of cacao powder, and a handful of strawberries.
