PANETTONE FRENCH TOAST

"In the weeks leading up to Christmas, Italian grocery stores fill up with the traditional Christmas cakes of Milan and Verona, panettone and pandoro, in fancy boxes and shiny foil wrappings hung from the ceilings and bulging off the counters. Panettone is the traditional Italian sweet yeast bread, studded with candied fruit and sometimes filled with custard. If you don't like candied fruit, try pandoro, the airy, golden Veronese cake baked in a high, eight-pointed star-shaped pan and dusted with icing sugar. Lay the tall cake on its side to cut it, and each slice is a perfect star. Before slicing, trim off the brown top and bottom edges of your cake. For this recipe it's best to leave the panettone or pandoro slices out and unwrapped, under a tea towel, to dry overnight. This will prevent them from soaking up the egg mixture too quickly and becoming mushy."

6 large eggs
1 1/2 cup milk or cream
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 slices panettone or pandoro, about 3/4 inch thick
3 tablespoons butter for frying, divided use
FOR SERVING:
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
Maple syrup

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large, shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk or cream, salt, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Dip each slice of panettone into the egg mixture so that both sides are saturated but the cake is not falling apart.

Melt one tablespoon of butter in a large non-stick frying pan or griddle. Working a few slices at a time, fry the panettone over medium-high heat until golden brown, a little crispy and slightly firm to the touch, about three minutes each side. The inside should remain soft, but not mushy. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with remaining slices.

Serve with a spoonful of mascarpone cheese. Pass the maple syrup at the table.

Serves 4
Source: Montreal Gazette, December 13 2006