Eggnog French Toast with
Apple Cranberry Compote

A special make-ahead breakfast for Christmas morning.

Make-ahead French toast recipe, rich with eggnog, topped with a sauce made with cranberries and apples.

One year, an Italian fruit bread called panettone [pan-uh-TOH-nee] appeared beneath the Christmas tree. Ever since, it’s been an essential holiday ingredient.

Panettone makes lovely toast, lightly textured and barely sweet. It has replaced lady fingers in our Christmas trifle. Last year, we made Eggnog French Toast on Christmas morning and this year, by popular demand, it will return, the new family tradition.

Panettone comes in large festive boxes and is easy to find before Christmas, if you look. The Italian groceries on The Hill sell panettone and I’ve also seen it in local groceries and even stores like Home Goods, World Market and Trader Joe’s.

APPLE CRANBERRY COMPOTE In a saucepan, cook 1 cup apple cider, 3 tablespoons light corn syrup and 1 tablespoon brown sugar on medium heat until reduced by about half. Meanwhile, in a skillet, melt a tablespoon of butter and cook 2 Golden Delicious apples (peeled, cored and chopped) til just soft. Stir in a cup of fresh or frozen cranberries and 2 tablespoons sugar (or more, to taste) and cook til berries pop. Stir in cider mixture and simmer til sauce thickens slightly, about 5 – 10 minutes. Can be made ahead but rewarm to serve. Makes 1-1/2 cups. Consider a double batch; it’s delicious over ice cream too.

ALANNA's TIPS If you plan to drink the eggnog and are concerned about raw eggs, do use pasteurized eggs.

Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Send a favorite recipe for Christmas morning to e-mail.

EGGNOG FRENCH TOAST with
APPLE CRANBERRY COMPOTE

Perfect(ly easy) for Christmas morning

Hands-on time: 15 minutes night before, 15 minutes in the morning
Serves 4

2 eggs (see TIPS)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups milk (low-fat is good)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (for French toast, peppermint for drinking)
Freshly grated nutmeg
Brandy to taste (omit for French toast, optional for drinking)

8 slices panettone (from half a two-pound loaf) or another good bread
2 eggs
2 cups homemade eggnog (or commercial eggnog)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Melted butter
Powdered sugar

Whisk eggnog ingredients. Makes 2-1/2 cups.

Arrange bread in single layer in a glass or ceramic dish. Whisk eggs, 2 cups eggnog and spices. Pour over bread. Cover, refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 450F. Brush slices on both sides with butter. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet, bake for 15 minutes. Turn slices over, bake another 15 minutes or until golden brown and slightly puffy. Transfer to plates. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Top with warm apple cranberry compote. Buon appetito!

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per Serving: 900Cal; 18g Protein; 38g Tot Fat; 24g Sat Fat; 122g Carb; 7g Fiber; 194mg Sodium; 377mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 21 points

Believe it or not, this recipe has been 'Alanna-sized' with reductions in fat and sugar.

A NOTE ON CALORIES & NUTRITION ANALYSIS

This make-ahead French toast recipe is so easy to make and tastes so good. But yes, it's laden with calories -- even though I've included plenty of fruit, reduced the use of butter and sugar -- sooo many calories, I seriously considered not sharing the recipe at all.

Still, the recipe is instructive. Look it over. It looks rich, yes, but really, 'not that bad' for a special occasion. It just goes to show how important it is to use recipes from sources that include nutrition analysis, not just for weight loss and weight management purposes but because, truly, we deserve to know and too often, it's just not easy to tell.

Off my soapbox!