FRENCH TOAST ICE CREAM RECIPES

Steps:

• Arrange bread slices on a cooling rack and allow to dry at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes.
• Meanwhile, coat a 3-quart rectangular baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, maple syrup, and cinnamon with a mixer until smooth. Fold in 2 cups blueberries.
• Arrange 4 slices of bread in prepared dish; spread cream cheese mixture over bread. Top with remaining bread.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together half-and-half, eggs, and vanilla. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
• Remove dish from refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake French toast, covered, for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 minutes more, or until top is golden brown.
• Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. If desired, top with additional berries and confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• TO SERVE Preheat the grill to medium. Slice two thick rounds of panettone. Get a non-stick pan with the same diameter and rub the soft butter all over the base. Beat the eggs with the vanilla paste and icing sugar in a shallow bowl, then dip one of the panettone slices in the eggy mixture until well soaked on both sides. Quickly and confidently transfer to the cold buttered pan. Drain the peaches and finely slice, then lay across the eggy panettone in the pan. Snap up and scatter over the chocolate. At this point, I’ve been known to add a little swig of amaretto, vin santo or Baileys. Dip the second slice of panettone in the eggy mixture, then pour any excess egg over the chocolate and peaches. Sit the second panettone slice on top, and press down gently to compact so the egg is absorbed everywhere – don’t worry if the panettone tears, just patch it up, it’s all going to cook into one batch of deliciousness. Place the pan on a medium heat for 3 minutes, to encourage a nice, crispy bottom, then sprinkle with a little extra icing sugar and pop under the grill for 10 minutes, or until the top is beautifully golden – keep an eye on it. Safely and confidently tip the panettone French toast sandwich on to a board, and sift over a final extra dusting of icing sugar from a height. Wedge it up and serve hot or warm, with scoops of vanilla ice cream. Heaven.