Panettone French Toast
Panettone, a sweet, domed bread traditionally part of the holiday spread for those in or who hail from Italy or Sicily, is typically served with after-dinner espresso or a glass of bubbly. While some are on the simple side, others are more elaborate and contain a as assortment of edible additions, such as creams, dried fruit, nuts and (or) chocolates. Some go a step further and come topped with shaved chocolate, sugar crystals or nuts.
Sigona’s brings in during each holiday season more than 20 different varieties of panettone from artisan bakers in Italy, such as Sogno Toscano, Loison, Flamigni and Attilo Servi. We’ve even partnered with Sogno Toscano to bring in two panettone private-labeled just for Sigona’s: one filled with pockets of Prosecco cream and another made with maraschino syrup, sour cherries and chocolate chips. The cherry & chocolate panettone is one of the most moist panettone our specialty foods buyer, John Nava, has ever encountered.
Should you wake the day after a holiday gathering to discover leftover panettone, we suggest you use it to make French Toast. If don’t have a go-to dredging recipe for a French Toast, use ours:
Panettone French Toast
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 panettone paper removed
- 6 large eggs
- 2 ½ cups milk
- 2 Tbsp fresh orange juice optional
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon more to taste
- Butter for greasing griddle or skillet
- For serving: syrup, powdered sugar and assorted fresh berries
Instructions
- Using a serrated knife, cut the panettone in half from top to bottom. Cut each half into 4 to 6 equal pieces.
- In a bowl or 9×13 baking dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, orange juice and cinnamon until smooth.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter on the griddle or large nonstick skillet preheated to medium heat. Save the other tablespoon for when you cook the next batch.
- Working in batches, lightly and quickly dip slices of panettone into the milk and egg mixture, turning to allow both sides to briefly absorb the mixture. Place the soaked slices on the griddle and cook until the sides are golden brown and firm to the touch, about 4 minutes a side.
- Top cooked French toast with syrup, fresh fruit and powdered sugar, if desired.
