Pumpkin French Toast with Sautéed Apples

Heyooo, it’s Casual Friday. You know the drill. First we talk food, then we waste time on the internet. So without further ado…Pumpkin French Toast with Sautéed Apples!

Hot damn. Why choose between fall’s trendiest flavors, when you could have both pumpkin and apple in the same bite? I say carpe the fucking diem and go all the way in, people. Thickly sliced brioche bathed in spiced pumpkin custard, cooked to golden brown perfection (or slightly past that—I clearly dig a deeper shade of brown), and topped with warm, maple-sweetened apples is the stuff brunch fantasies are made of. It’s also idiot-proof and won’t take you more than 25 minutes tops, even with a weekend cocktail lag, so get on it ASAP.

Before we move on, I had a thought about this French toast. If you’ve got a larger crowd to feed, you could try doubling the recipe to make a fancy French toast bake, and assemble it in advance. Dip the sliced brioche in the custard to coat, overlap the slices in a baking dish, pour the remaining custard on top, and pop it in the fridge overnight covered with foil. In the morning, bake the casserole at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, covered, then remove the foil and bake for 20-25 minutes more until the top is golden brown. Smother the whole shebang with the sautéed apples, and go to town. Just an idea (which I have yet to test), but I really think it would slay at a Thanksgiving/Holiday brunch. Maybe get weird and crumble some bacon on top.

And now, internet nonsense!

For those doing some serious Halloween-ing this weekend, I have a whole Pinterest board full of festive inspiration!

If the Pinterest ideas are too intense (no judgment), make Spiced Pumpkin Punch and call it a day.

I like Ina a lot, but I LOVE drunk Ina.

I feel like my productivity has been particularly low this week due to Justin Beiber and Adele. (If you live under a rock and have yet to watch their latest videos, I’m jealous. The first 10 views are the best…)

There’s this writer for NY Mag’s The Cut named Rebecca Harrington. I’ve been creepily obsessed impressed with her work since this article on Gwyneth (which caused a pretty serious fight with my mother), and I’m glad I remembered to Google her this week because her essay on productivity really resonated with me. Sadly, I too spend most of my time thinking about Justin Beiber when I should be writing. (See above. #Sorry)

A few things on my current cooking bucket list:

Phyllo Chicken Pot Pie. So smart!

Hot Honeycomb Candy. I’ve always had a soft spot for Crunchie bars and I love me some spice, so this is basically my ideal dessert.

Baked Apple Cider Donuts. Melissa’s recipes never fail. Her Instagram is also one of the most obnoxiously beautiful things I’ve ever seen.

Pumpkin Ricotta Gnocchi. I haven’t made gnocchi since cooking school, but I know I have it in me. I know it. (Fingers crossed emoji.)

This epic twitter story blew my mind.

Summer Heights High fans, Mr. G. dancing to Hotline Bling will make your year. If you don’t know what Summer Heights High is, OH MY GOD. I hope you don’t have any plans this weekend/month.

Despite my fear of small children, I’m a sucker for any commercial featuring them doing “grown-up” things. This Barbie ad is my current favorite. (The veterinarian kills me.)

Ladies and gentlemen, a true Halloween hero.

I know I’m always late to the party, but I’m newly enamored with podcasts. (I managed to make it through all of Serial in a single day of recipe testing last week.) I’ve dabbled in a few series, but if anyone has suggestions for me, I’m all ears.

Sending good vibes for your Halloween celebrations, friends! Eat candy, be safe, and pray for my roommate who is wearing this to the Grateful Dead show tomorrow night…

Pumpkin French Toast with Sautéed Apples

Author - Serena Wolf

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup pure pumpkin puree
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or milk of your choice
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 4 1¼- inch slices brioche Challah also works well
• Coconut oil or butter for frying

For the apples:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter
• 3 apples I like a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup

Instructions

• Start by cooking the apples. Heat the coconut oil or butter in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add the apples, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5-6 minutes until tender, then stir in the maple syrup. Cook for 1 minute. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve. (If you prefer very soft apples, cook them for 10-12 minutes before adding the maple syrup.)
• In a large baking dish (at least 9”x13”), whisk the eggs, pumpkin puree, milk, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and spices.
• Place the slices of bread in the custard mixture and let soak for 5 minutes, turning the slices over halfway through, until most of the liquid has been absorbed into the bread. Gently press on the bread a few times during the soaking process to help it absorb the custard.
• Meanwhile, heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Add a little coconut oil or butter to the griddle/skillet. When melted, carefully remove the bread from the custard and place on the griddle/skillet. (If using a skillet, you’ll need to do this in two batches.) Cook for about 3 minutes until golden brown. Add another little bit of coconut oil or butter to the griddle/skillet, flip the French toast, and cook for another 3 minutes or so until golden brown.
• Transfer the French toast to plates and top with the warm apples. Serve with extra maple syrup if you like.