The Naughtiest French Toast in the World

I missed out on the Nutella craze. Completely. And on purpose. I thought it sounded disgusting and rich and too sweet and just could not imagine putting it into everyday food, let alone spreading it on my toast for breakfast. Then this happened-

I just had to go in IKEA. Well....like a trip to Minneapolis would EVER happen without a stop at IKEA. I love looking at the cool Euro-modern furniture and all the awesome kitchen and cooking stuff, but I REALLY love the grocery section. I'm a sucker foreign foods and Scandinavian especially. For one thing, I always grab my dad a few cans of "fiskerballer"- or fish balls, and no, not THOSE balls, but fish meatballs, which sound utterly repulsive to me, but he loves them. And for myself I like just browsing everything, stocking up on the old standards like lingonberries and European chocolates (Hershey's chocolate flavored crayon bars never pass my lips- I am spoiled by my European upbringing) and unique sauces and spice mixtures.

So anyway, I found no fish balls but my eyes did land on a display of this chocolatey naughtiness. I don't know WHY I had to have it, but I just DID, and so into my shopping basket it went, and ended up in my rural Iowa kitchen just daring me to make something outrageous. Since I haven't tasted Nutella, I can't really compare this, but I can best describe it as an indulgent mix of creamy and crunchy- the smooth chocolate reminds me of ganache, and the crunchy butterscotch pieces taste like crushed English toffee. Utterly delicious! I could have gone with the usual ideas- a cake filling, crepes, anything Nutella-filled, but the first time I tried it was on a piece of toast and I couldn't help but think this would make KILLER stuffed French toast. So that is just what I did!

You can SEE the crunchy toffee bits. It's sooo delicious- and NAUGHTY!

Here is what you need to make this indulgent treat:

• sliced bread 
• Chokladkrokant Bredbar (or Nutella, etc- see below)
• 2-3 eggs
• splash of milk or half and half
• butter
• whipped cream and maraschino cherries

Slice bread as thin as normal sandwich bread, if not already sliced. Make sandwiches with the bread and chocolate spread. In a shallow bowl or pie pan, beat the eggs with a splash of half and half. 

Heat a tablespoon or so of butter in skillet. Dip the sandwiches in the egg mixture, allowing excess to drain back into bowl. Fry in the melted butter until golden brown on both sides. Place on serving plates garnished with whipped cream and cherries. I didn't have any cherries, so a strawberry took it's place. I also gave just a little drizzle of caramel to dress it up a little- go easy though! This is rich!

Is it breakfast? Dessert? Snack? That's up to you, but one thing is for sure- it's delicious!

Now, if you can't find this IKEA product you can substitute Nutella or another brand of chocolate spread. And I wouldn't bother with any maple syrup- just a nice plop of whipped cream and maybe a cherry or four. Is it a healthy option? Probably not, but for a once-in-a-while treat it's not going to ruin your diet or send you to an early grave. Enjoy the naughty foods in moderation and you will be just fine.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The easiest dessert you'll ever make!

At least once in your life you are going to need a special dessert to cap off a memorable meal. Maybe it's the first time you make dinner for that special someone. Dessert and champagne after a night out with friends. You are invited over for dinner and need to bring a dessert.

Well, you're in luck. I have the SIMPLEST dessert you will ever make yet it looks like you spent hours in the kitchen. Seriously, if you can operate a rolling pin and a microwave, you've got this! The only "special" equipment you need is a tart pan. You might already have one. A food processor and a rolling pin finish your pastry-making needs.

So let's get started-

You will need pastry for a one crust pie. I have a simple and foolproof recipe for you-

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup cold butter, cut into chunks

2 tb sugar

1/4 cup ice water

Place flour and sugar in food processor. Add cut up butter, pulse until you have a crumbly mixture. DO NOT USE MARGARINE or you will have paste. Add ice water a tablespoon at a time until dough forms and is not sticky, but holds together. Turn out onto floured board. You can chill the pastry at this point or you can roll it out now. Flour the rolling pin well and roll it out to about 1/4 inch thickness and the size/shape of your tart pan. I used a rectangle pan. Roll dough over rolling pin and lift into pan. Trim excess pastry, prick all over with fork. Line the pastry with foil and fill with baking beans. Bake in 425 oven about 10-15 minutes or so, until light golden brown. Remove from oven and cool.

Now......it gets REALLY good- the filling. You can make this in the microwave or in a saucepan, whichever you like. I prefer the micro because I can use the same bowl I'm going to mix it in. The ingredients are ridiculously simple:

8 oz. chopped semi-sweet chocolate (or chips- high quality chips)

1 cup heavy cream

Bring the cream almost to boiling then remove from micro or off burner. Add chocolate. Stir until all chocolate is melted and smooth. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then pour into baked pastry shell while still liquid.

Decorate the top of your tart with fresh fruit. I used halved strawberries because that's what I had, but raspberries are excellent for this dessert. Chill completely before serving. Cut smallish servings- it's very very rich!