Fry

Villa 525 French Toast

May 14, 2010
4
1 Ratings
  • Serves 2-4
Author Notes

This recipe came about when I went on vacation with my mother this past November to our villa in Treasure Cay, Bahamas (on the island of Abaco). It was a much anticipated sojourn for me as I hadn't been there in 17 years (I was 19 the last time I was there). Days were spent with early but langorous breakfasts, trips to the bakery for Florences's famous bread (and cracked conch), Bahamian beer spiked lunches at the Coco Beach Bar, and lazy dinners on the patio. We went to the beach to but that is another story. Breakfast was particularly memorable with this dish being whipped up the first morning we were there with the ingredients we had hastily bought before the market closed after we arrived. It is sweet but not too with piña colada flavors brightened with lime. We loved it so much that I made it everyday complemented with espressos. I had visions of cutting up my own coconut to procure the meat to make the coconut milk but was unable to find my dad's machete. Yes, machete, which I found a few months later when honeymooning with my husband.... in the cabinet underneath the kitchen sink. It tastes incredible but even more so in the environment it was created in. - testkitchenette —testkitchenette

Test Kitchen Notes

This recipe is fantastic. The coconut milk, banana, rum and lime zest soaked bread fries up into a delicious french toast with tropical flair. I cooked mine in organic coconut oil and sprinkled it with cinnamon sugar. I loved every bite! I only wish that I could have made it with fresh coconut and enjoyed it by the beach...for now, I'll dream of that day. - WinnieAb —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 4 slices of your favorite bread for French Toast (not too sour but with some substance), 1/2 - 3/4 inch slices...or to your liking
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 bananas
  • 2/3 cup coconut milk (I use the full fat kind)
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon best quality dark rum
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • zest of a whole lime
  • tiny pinch of salt
  • knob of butter and a splash of olive oil to fry in
Directions
  1. With the exception of the bread, butter, and oil, put everything in the blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a large shallow pan (I used an ancient Pyrex) and soak bread (turning to penetrate both sides) for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour.
  2. Melt a bit of butter and a splash of olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium high heat and add soaked bread (in two batches) and fry till golden brown on both sides, adjusting heat when necessary. Serve with your choice of syrup.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Brenna
    Brenna
  • ShowFoodChef
    ShowFoodChef
  • coffeefoodwrite
    coffeefoodwrite
  • mrslarkin
    mrslarkin
  • Kayb
    Kayb

15 Reviews

Brenna May 19, 2010
This wish some greens and a bottle of Kalik or Red Stripe would be my ideal weekend, patio breakfast.
 
testkitchenette May 19, 2010
Good choices! Have you tried the newer Bahamian beer Sands yet?
 
ShowFoodChef May 17, 2010
Hey. New to this, but loving the pics, and the friends, already. How can you go wrong with rum and coconut, right? THis sounds delish!
 
testkitchenette May 18, 2010
Thanks for your kind words! This makes me feel like I am on vacation when I am eating it too.
 
coffeefoodwrite May 17, 2010
Love the rum in this!
 
testkitchenette May 18, 2010
Thanks, me too, I love a little kick in my breakfast once in a while!
 
mrslarkin May 17, 2010
Two of my favorites flavors - lime and coconut! This sounds like a great party dish!
 
testkitchenette May 18, 2010
I love lime and coconut as well and agree with you about the party dish idea!
 
Kayb May 17, 2010
Lord, that sounds wonderful. I will have to try this one of these weekends....
 
testkitchenette May 18, 2010
I'd love to hear what you think of it!
 
Brenna May 17, 2010
No 'sissy' French Toast here. This is, like, the final French Toast frontier.
 
testkitchenette May 15, 2010
Thanks dymnymo! I was amazed at how easy it was to get the coconut open especially since other coconut cracking research instructed me to pierce it on a spike sticking out of the ground! I considered sneaking my prized coconuts that I cracked open through customs but I chickened out!
 
dymnyno May 15, 2010
I know what you mean...the spike thing has never worked for me...I get the spike stuck in the coconut....A machete (preferably in the hand of an available man) works every time!
 
dymnyno May 15, 2010
Very nice recipe! It really does take a machete to crack a hard coconut!
 
testkitchenette May 15, 2010
I thought I was going to be afraid of the machete but surprisingly I loved whacking it into the coconut (which was on the grass)...it was the ultimate form of getting aggression out (in a good kind of a way). The French Toast tasted even better using a freshly cut coconut!