Scrumptious Sundays

Gruyere-Stuffed French Toast

DELICIOUS recipe from Cooking Light

Great meal for "Breakfast for Dinner"

We had it for breakfast, but it's very savory and would make a great change to the normal dinner routine.

Don't be intimidated; the ingredients and instructions look complicated - they aren't.  The most time consuming part is the Warm Apple Maple Syrup, but it's really easy!

Ingredients

1/4 cup apple cider 

1 teaspoon cornstarch 

2 teaspoons butter 

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

2 cups sliced McIntosh apples 

1/4 cup maple syrup

6 (2-ounce) slices ciabatta bread

3 ounces Gruyère cheese, cut into thin slices

1/2 cup fat-free milk 

1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 large egg

1 large egg white

4 teaspoons butter, divided 

3 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted

Preparation

1. Combine cider and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Melt 2 teaspoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add the cider mixture, apples, and syrup to pan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low; cook 3 minutes or until apples begin to soften, stirring occasionally. Set aside, and keep warm.

2. Cut a horizontal slit through bottom crust of each bread slice to form a pocket; stuff 1/2 ounce cheese evenly into each pocket. Combine fat-free milk, buttermilk, and next 5 ingredients (through egg white) in a shallow dish, stirring well with a whisk. Working with 1 stuffed bread slice at a time, place bread slice into milk mixture, turning gently to coat both sides.

3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Melt 2 teaspoons butter in pan. Add 3 coated bread slices to pan, and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Repeat procedure with remaining 2 teaspoons butter and remaining 3 coated bread slices.

4. Place 1 French toast slice onto each of 6 plates; top each serving with about 3 tablespoons sauce and 1 1/2 teaspoons pecans.