Vanilla French Toast With Peaches and Apple Butter

From the Park Hyatt Los Angeles. Published in Bon Appetit, July 2007.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• Vanilla Butter

• 1⁄2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, divided

• French Toast

• 6  large eggs
• 1⁄2 cup  whipping cream
• 2  teaspoons  packed golden brown sugar
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1  lb  loaf  brioche bread or 1  lb  egg bread, ends trimmed, cut crosswise into 12 slices
• 3⁄4 cup apple butter
• 4  large  peaches, halved, pitted, cut into 1/3-inch thick slices, divided

• Toppings

•  warm pure maple syrup
•  powdered sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
•  whipped cream (optional)

Directions

1. Vanilla Butter:.
2. Place butter and vanilla extract in small bowl. Scrape seeds from one vanilla bean piece. Whisk to blend. (Can be made up to 1 week ahead. Cover and refrigerate.).
3. French Toast:.
4. Place eggs and next 4 ingredients in large bowl. Scrape in seeds from remaining vanilla bean piece. Whisk batter to blend.
5. Place bread slices on work surface; spread with apple butter. Reserve 1/4 of peach slices for garnish. Arrange remaining peach slices over 6 bread slices. Top with remaining bread slices, apple butter side down.
6. Melt 2 tablespoons vanilla butter in heavy large skillet. Transfer 3 sandwiches to skillet. Cook until brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per slide. Transfer to plates. Repeat with remaining 3 sandwiches.
7. Spread thin layer of remaining vanilla butter over each sandwich; cut in half diagonally. Drizzle with warm maple syrup. Scatter reserved peach slices over; sprinkle with powdered sugar and top with whipped cream if desired.