French Toast Alert!

We're experiencing our first snow of the season, and our hottie heats things up with classic good looks and a grey-flannel color fleece jacket to ward off the wintry chill.

Location: Red Line at Park
Imagined Profession: Revenue Analyst
Photographer: FT

And for those not from here "French Toast Alert" is a type of weather forecast involving snow that serves as a warning to residents that they should stock up on milk and eggs before the stores are emptied by panicked shoppers. We stocked up yesterday and made a dish we recently learned how to make in France, French Toast a la Provence. It's a French take on an American dish that has no relation to French cuisine... until this recipe was created! Below is the finished dish on our heirloom breakfast table at HOTT Headquarters in Harvard Square. We like this recipe because we can make French Toast for up to 8 people without having to constantly be grilling on the stove!

French Toast a la Provence

Things you'll need:

12" cast iron skillet . The French DO NOT use teflon skillets!
5 large egs
2 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon granulated cane suger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 1/2 cups lightly packed sourdough bread cubed into 3/4 inch pieces.
5 slices thickly cut bacon, sliced into 1/2 pieces
3 large Granny Smith apples
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light brown sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Preheat oven to 375F

Mix first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Then add bread cubes and stir thoroughly until mixed.

Peel, core and then slice apples into 10 sections each.

Cook bacon on medium heat, stirring occasionally until browned. Scoop out bacon and put in a bowl by itself. Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from skillet. Add butter (skillet still on medium heat) and then stir in light brown sugar and maple syrup.

Add sliced apples evenly on skillet and let caramelize for 10 mins.

Sprinkle half of the bacon on top of apples. Pour on bread mixture evenly across apples. Sprinkle remaining bacon on top.

Place skillet in oven for 30 mins. Remove, flip onto serving dish immediately and then let sit for 5 minutes to firm up.

Slice and serve warm with maple syrup or save for later and reheat in microwave.

Serves 6 to 8 people!