Ingredients
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
2/3 c. creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp. heavy cream
Pinch kosher salt
4 thick slices brioche
1 c. milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp. butter
1 c. cinnamon sugar
1 banana sliced, for topping
Maple syrup, for topping
Preparation
Step 1Make peanut butter filling: In a large bowl using a hand mixer, mix cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, peanut butter, heavy cream, and salt and mix until smooth. Place in a ziplock bag or piping bag and set aside.Step 2Cut a 2” wide slit into the bottom of each slice of brioche to create a deep pocket. Fill each pocket with peanut butter mixture.Step 3In a shallow dish, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla until combined. Working one slice at a time, dip bread until fully soaked, 45 seconds.Step 4In a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, melt butter. Cook 2 slices bread at a time until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat to cook all slices, adding more butter to pan if needed.Step 5Place cinnamon sugar on a large shallow plate and coat the cooked French toast in cinnamon sugar. Serve topped with bananas and a drizzle of maple syrup.
“I enjoy making pizza with a cast iron, which adds the perfect char to the outer edges of the dough and keeps the inside light and fluffy,” said Jason Goldstein, cookbook author, Next Food Network Star finalist, and force behind the food site Chop Happy. “A bonus of choosing Le Creuset is that you can choose your color. The one I have is orange, which not only works perfect for cooking, it adds a level of interior design to the kitchen space if you leave it as decor on the stovetop.” Co-executive chef Tomohiro Urata of New York Japanese restaurant Mifune agreed that this Le Creuset pan is great for the home cook.“It’s less likely for the ingredients to stick to the pan, and it’s also induction-heater friendly, so it’s great for home use.” “I really like the consistency of their iron, especially at such a great price point—and it lasts forever with good care!” said chef Oscar Cabezas of Spanish eatery Telefèric Barcelona, which has locations in California and Spain. “At Teleferic, we use it to cook caldoso rice. It maintains the temperature very well, gives some unique flavor notes, and has great table presentation.” “From baking to braising to frying, these pans can do anything, and they last you a lifetime,” added Dupree Braswell, executive chef at the Marriott Bethesda Downtown at Marriott HQ.The price is right, too. “They are not too expensive and still perform well,” Danny Lee, executive chef of Burger & Lobster USA, said. “This pan more than lives up to expectation,” one reviewer raved. “From eggs to slow roasting, from perfect stovetop steaks to pan pizza, this pan has performed beautifully. You are set up for success the day it arrives; gently pre-seasoned with a helpful guide on caring for the pan for years to come.” Again, it’s a good idea to season it again, just in case. Reviewers note, however, that the pre-seasoned cast iron takes to “new seasoning easily” so there’s less work on your end. This set includes a 6.75-quart Dutch oven, a 3.5-quart Dutch oven, and a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. “It does everything I need it to do and can withstand the high temperatures from the oven to the grill,” said Kevin Bludso, pitmaster at Los Angeles’s Bludso’s Bar & Que. This griddle and skillet combo can be used on the grill or even over the campfire, if you’re feeling adventurous. Meanwhile, the non-stick patina is not only pretty, but makes cooking easier.
