Spiced Hawaiian Roll French Toast with Candied Pecans

By Sweet July

We tried using Hawaiian rolls in a French toast and now we may never go back to boring bread.

Serves: 4

Time: 30 minutes

If you're looking for a mouth-watering Fall-inspired brunch dish, look no further.

We’ve combined a sweet buttery Hawaiian roll with warm spices and maple syrup to create a fresh take on a classic. The candied pecans are an extra step that we think you shouldn't skip. The added crunch really takes the dish to the next level. Plus, we love a chef's snack.

Ingredients

- Candied Pecans
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp Lyle’s Golden Syrup (or corn syrup)
- 3 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 1/2 cup pecans
- Pinch of salt

- French Toast
- 1 (12 pack) of sweet Hawaiian Rolls
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 small pinch salt
- 4 tbsp butter
- Maple syrup, for serving
- Whipped cream, for serving

Instructions

step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

step 2

Heat a non-stick saucepan over low heat. Melt the butter, then add the golden syrup, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Once the mixture boils, fold in the pecans and saute for an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Spread the pecans out on one of the sheet pans and season with salt. Bake for 5 minutes. Allow to cool.

step 3

In a large bowl, mix the eggs, heavy cream, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup, brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Whisk until combined.

step 4

Flip the rolls over and, using a wooden skewer or fork, poke several holes in each roll. The holes will help the egg mixture distribute more evenly.

step 5

Melt a tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet over low heat. Dip the rolls in two at a time into the custard mixture. Do not allow the rolls to sit in the custard mixture for longer than 10 seconds; otherwise, you’ll risk them falling apart in the pan. Place the rolls in the pan and sear on each side for approximately 1 to 2 minutes (until golden brown). Transfer the rolls to the second sheet pan and repeat until all the rolls have been seared on all sides. Bake the rolls in the oven for an additional 5 minutes to ensure they’re cooked through.