Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 ½ tablespoons powdered sugar, plus extra for sprinkling over top
1 ¼ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, divided use
1 ¼ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter, plus extra for frying pan
1 large gala apple, peeled, cored and halved, and sliced into ½” thick wedges
4 tablespoons brown sugar, divided use
• Pinch ground cinnamon
3 eggs
½ cup half & half
4 slices of day-old challah or brioche bread
• Maple-Caramel Syrup (recipe below)
Preparation:
-Heat the oven to 200° or “warm” setting, and place a wire rack-lined baking sheet into the oven.
-Add the cream cheese, the 2 ½ tablespoons of powdered sugar, ¼ teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice, and ¼ teaspoon of the vanilla extract to a bowl, and using a hand mixer, blend the mixture until smooth and creamy; set aside.
-To caramelize the apples, place a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat, and add the 2 tablespoons of butter in; once melted, add the apples in and saute them for about 3 minutes, until softened and lightly browned; add in 3 tablespoons of the brown sugar and the pinch of cinnamon, and continue to saute them for another 1-2 minutes longer; pour into a bowl, and keep warm.
-Prepare the french toast batter by whisking together the eggs, the half and half, the remaining 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, the remaining 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until well blended.
-To fry the french toast, place a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat, and once hot, rub a stick of butter in the hot pan to coat the bottom liberally; dip a piece of the bread in the batter to coat both sides well, then add it to the hot buttered pan and allow it to brown for about 2-3 minutes per side (do a couple of pieces at a time if possible); place the cooked French Toast into the warm oven to hold while you prepare the remaining slices.
-To assemble, place one piece of the french toast onto a plate, and spread on a couple of tablespoons of the spiced cream cheese; add about half of the caramelized apples over the cream cheese, then top with another slice of french toast; sprinkle over some powdered sugar, and drizzle with some of the warm, Maple-Caramel Syrup.
Maple-Caramel Syrup ingredients:
¾ cup maple syrup
¼ cup prepared caramel sauce (good quality such as Trader Joe’s brand)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preparation:
-Add all ingredients to a small sauce pan, whisk to combine, and heat on low just until warm and well blended; serve warm.
