Banana Brittle French Toast Recipe

Prep bananas

Peel the ripe bananas and slice them into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Set aside on a small plate.

Make caramel base

In a medium heavy-bottomed skillet or saucepan over medium heat, combine granulated sugar and light corn syrup. Stir gently as the sugar begins to melt until fully liquefied and turns a deep amber color (about 6–8 minutes). Do not stir vigorously; you can gently swirl the pan. Watch carefully to avoid burning.

Finish brittle

Remove pan from heat. Immediately whisk in unsalted butter until melted and incorporated. Carefully add heavy cream in a slow steady stream while whisking (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir in sea salt and vanilla extract.

Add bananas and nuts

Quickly fold in the banana slices and toasted chopped nuts (if using) so they are coated with caramel. Spread the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer to cool and set for 10–15 minutes. If you prefer chunkier brittle, press gently with a spatula to combine; for thinner brittle, spread more thinly.

Break into pieces

Once cooled to room temperature and set, break the brittle into bite-sized pieces. Keep some larger pieces for topping and reserve some fine shards for garnish.

Make custard

In a shallow wide bowl or baking dish, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt until smooth and slightly frothy.

Soak bread

Preheat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Working with two slices at a time, dip each slice of bread into the custard mixture, allowing it to soak for about 10–15 seconds per side for thick-sliced bread (longer if you prefer very custardy interior). Let excess custard drip back into the dish.

Cook slices

Add neutral oil to the preheated skillet and melt 1 tbs unsalted butter. Place the soaked bread slices in the pan without crowding. Cook for 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden brown and slightly crisp at the edges, reducing heat to medium-low as needed to cook through without burning. Add more butter between batches.

Keep warm

Transfer cooked French toast to a baking sheet and keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you finish remaining slices.

Place 2 slices of French toast per serving on plates. Spoon or scatter banana brittle pieces over the top, reserving some shards for crunch. Add extra banana slices if desired.

Drizzle each portion with maple syrup and sprinkle a light dusting of powdered sugar if using.

Serve immediately so the brittle retains its crunch against the warm, custardy French toast.