Sunday, May 31, 2015

Vegan rhubarb-stuffed French toast

vegan rhubarb-stuffed french toast

Before I talk about this fabulous breakfast, let me mention that I deleted my previous Twitter and made a new one. Again. I don’t know, blame it on my anxious obsessiveness about social media and whatnot. It’s really a problem. BUT. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t follow me. Because you should. Yeah, stroke I mean stoke that ego, baby.



Anyway! So what about this French toast?

Yes, let's talk about it.

Much like studying for finals, this recipe is super labor-intensive. Especially if you do it my way, with homemade challah and everything. It is actually probably the most labor-intensive breakfast I have ever made, with like five billion steps involved

1. Make challah;

2. Cook rhubarb jam;

3. Whip up a cashew cream filling;

4. Crush corn flakes;

5. Blend up the French toast batter;

6. Slice and stuff challah;

7. Dip stuffed bread in batter and cornflakes; and finally

8. Fry to perfection.

Okay, maybe not quite five billion. But still several. It’s a lot of work for just a morning meal.

And yet, it is totally worth it. I am in love with the rhubarb jam, first of all. It almost deserves its own post, it is so sweetly tart and fresh and delicious. But the completed French toast? Holy shit. Mind-blowing. I didn’t do so well when it came to crushing the cornflakes (grinding them in a food processor would probably be better) and the finished product isn’t exactly photogenic, but it is good as hell.

Yeah...“good as hell” is pretty much all I can say. It’s like eating a layer cake of toasty, lightly crunchy bread and creamy, fruity filling. You don’t even need maple syrup for this toast—more rhubarb jam is sufficient.

Here’s the recipe.

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Vegan rhubarb-stuffed French toast

Adapted from Sugar Hero

Ingredients

Rhubarb jam

340 grams • rhubarb, chopped into small chunks • 12 ounces

150 grams • granulated sugar • ¾ cup

4 grams • vanilla extract • 1 teaspoon

10 grams • lemon juice • 2 teaspoons

0.5 grams • cinnamon • ¼ teaspoon

Cream filling

160 grams • cashews, soaked in water for four hours and drained • 1 cup

18 grams • powdered sugar • 2 heaping tablespoons

4 grams • vanilla extract • 1 teaspoon

10 grams • lemon juice • 2 teaspoons

Zest of one lemon

For the French toast

1 gram • cinnamon • ½ teaspoon

184 grams • nondairy milk • ¾ cup

165 grams • silken tofu • ¾ cup

28 grams • light brown sugar • 2 tablespoons

4 grams • vanilla extract • 1 teaspoon

0.5 grams • salt • 1/8 teaspoon

1 loaf of challah (recipe here)

56 grams • cornflakes • 2 cups

Directions

Start by making the rhubarb jam. Place rhubarb, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the rhubarb releases some juice and the sugar is melted. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes. The jam should have a nice thickened texture, but it will get thicker as it cools.

To make cream filling, place all ingredients under “cream filling” in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add extra lemon juice and powdered sugar to taste.

Once you are ready to make the French toast, place the cinnamon, milk, tofu, brown sugar, and salt in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour batter into a large, shallow bowl and set aside. Also, crush the corn flakes in a plastic bag and pour into another shallow bowl. Set this aside as well.

Cut thick pieces of challah from your loaf—preferably on the stale side, but if it isn’t you can toast the bread lightly. Using a sharp knife, cut a slit in the side of the slice large enough to stick some fillings in there.

Transfer the cream filling and rhubarb jam to separate piping bags with a large tip snipped off. Pipe a bit of each into the slit in the bread—not too much that it overflow, but plenty to fill the bread up. Dip the stuffed slice into the batter, then in the corn flakes.

Fry the French toast on medium heat until golden-brown and crispy on each side. Serve with powdered sugar and more rhubarb jam. Eat immediately.

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Two slices were actually plenty, believe it or not.

I was going to write a really long expose about Kendrick Lamar’s newfound love for Taylor Swift, which is pissing me off, or maybe my misguided opinions on descriptivism vs. prescriptivism in linguistics, or maybe—well I don’t know what, because I forgot since I got distracted I was too busy with stu(dying) I was looking at Twitter for cheesy jokes to steal, etc. etc. Excuses schmexcushes.

While you’re here, check out these other totally rad recipes (is that what the kids are saying these days?).

Peanut butter-stuffed brownie French toast. Like dessert for breakfast.

Pumpkin French toast with pumpkin pie filling. With actual pumpkin-infused bread!

How to make vegan French toast without a recipe. So easy you have no excuse not to try it.

36 comments:

  1. Sooo many steps, but if you make the jam and cashew cream the evening before - it is no problemo! Or if we are super-people like yourself and just whip it up in a flash :D
    It looks and sounds heeeavenly :D I had rhubard earlier in the week too - so good :D Today I made vegan sushi, which turned out pretty darn good, yet my rolling skills are...well, less than desirable to say the least.

    I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend June! :D x

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    1. I definitely had to space this out, the challah first, then the jam and the cream, made the French toast the next day! It's not too bad over a couple days.

      Vegan sushi sounds incredible! :)

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  2. The fact that you can use tofu instead of eggs here is kind of mind boggling. So cool! This is definitely a project recipe, but sometimes those are a ton of fun.

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    1. It is mind boggling! Tofu works pretty well here, it is just meant as a binder for the batter.

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  3. I don't know which part of this recipe I like best, but I'm going to have to go with the use of tofu as a binder. Never thought to use it for french toast. I've never cooked rhubarb before. Rhubarb jam sounds way more enticing and than the other rhubarb recipes I've seen, especially if we're talking about stuffing it into french toast!

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    1. Rhubarb is awesome, you should totally try it!! Needs lots of sweetener, but it is so good. Thanks for stopping by!

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  4. I love it! I'd gladly give your recipe a try! I already have tofu and other ingredients! Excited to eat it :D

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    1. Hope you do make it! Let me know how it comes out :)

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  5. My boyfriend is always pestering me to buy rhubarb. Can you believe that I have never tried rhubarb in my life? Crazy, I know. But this looks so good, I may need to get me some on my next shopping trip..

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    1. You really should try it! It needs lots of sugar but is so delicious :)

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  6. What a fun way to have french toast! Tasty creation!

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  7. I really like your recipe! Thank you.

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  8. Oh yum, this sounds delish, and I love that you used rhubarb, totally need to start cooking with it more! And congrats on the new Twitter account :)

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    1. Rhubarb is definitely very rewarding! has such a great complex flavor when it's cooked with lots of sweet ingredients :)

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  9. I am totally loving that homemade rhubarb jam. Like I seriously want to get up from my computer and just go make jam now. Well done! And I just followed your new Twitter account, too! :-)

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    1. Thanks for the follow, really appreciate it!

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  10. This looks amazing!!! I love this combination and vegan too? You're a genius!

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    1. Ah you're too kind! The recipe's genius really comes from Sugar Hero anyway. Veganizing, once you have some experience, isn't too difficult--but I'm really glad you like the recipe :)

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  11. This breakfast would make me very happy, June. Nobody ever makes me breakfast. That jam is amazing!

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    1. I feel you, Mir. I wish I could send you some through the computer!

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  12. Looks awesome. My neighbor gave me rhubarb and I had no clue what to make with it. I think I'm going to try the rhubarb jam. Thanks for the recipe!

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    1. Oh yeah, you should definitely make jam! Let me know how it comes out. :)

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  13. I like to make one totally labor intensive recipe every weekend..I think this is going to be this one's!

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    1. Awesome!! I hope you did make it :) Thanks Joanne!

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  14. I haven't baked/cooked with rhubarb! I'll have to try!

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    1. Ah, you should this season! Hope you enjoy it :)

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  15. Never had a cashew cream, sounds delicious. Breakfast is my favorite meal any time of day......

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    1. I agree, Cheri--breakfast foods are the best :)

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  16. This looks out of this world. I am rhubarb-obsessed lately, and the finish on the crispy edges of this toast looks perfect.

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    1. Thank you Cake spy! :) The crispiness from the crushed corn flakes is perfect :)

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  17. WHAT an incredible recipe! Yes, a lot of steps, but just the kind of steps I enjoy. ;) And I do think those cornflakes probably just make it perfect. Whoah!

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    1. It really is mind-blowing! Glad you like the recipe :)

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