Crusted Sweet Potato French Toast, Apple Compote, Maple Butter

All the great flavors of fall combined together to make a perfect breakfast...for dinner!

Thick pieces of french bread dipped in spiced sweet potato batter, coated with toasted pecans and cornflakes. Served with fresh apple compote and homemade maple butter.

Pecan Crusted Sweet Potato French Toast

1 french bread loaf or any rustic bread, cut into 1 inch slices
canola oil
batter:
1 small sweet potato
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 cup almond milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbl maple syrup
crust:
2 cup cornflakes
1/2 cup toasted pecans

Preheat the oven to 400.
Prick the sweet potato with a fork all over and bake right on the oven rack until completely tender inside, around 40 minutes.
Once cool enough to handle, cut in half and scoop out 1 cup of packed potato into a blender.
Add all of the remaining ingredients and blend until completely smooth.

In a food processor, combine the cornflakes and pecans and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Heat a large skillet with a thin layer of canola oil. Dip each bread slice in the batter and then coat the top and bottom of the bread in the crust mixture. Pan fry until golden brown.

Maple Butter

1/2 cup maple syrup
6 tbl earth balance butter

Using a heavy bottomed pot, heat the maple syrup over low heat until it reaches 234 degrees.
Stir in the butter.
Transfer the syrup to a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until thick and creamy, about 4 minutes.
Spread a large piece of seran wrap on the counter top and dollop the butter in the center horizontally. Wrap the butter up tight to create a log and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
Or drizzle warm over the french toast.

Apple or Nectarine Compote

2 tbl earth balance butter
2 fuji apples or nectarines, pitted,halved and sliced
1/4 cup organic sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 tbl water
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

In a pot, melt the butter and toss in the nectarine slices. Cook for 3 minutes, tossing regularly to make sure the butter doesn't burn. Add the sugar and cinnamon and toss lightly until everything is incorporated. Add the water and gently bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for 7 minutes. Add vanilla. Let cool before serving so the mixture can thicken slightly. Serve warm or at room temp.