Pop Tart French Toast Soufflé

I’m not a good cook. I’m an even worse baker. I’ve got a few items in my wheelhouse that I can make for my gang, and “cooking” most of them usually involves adding water to something powdery from a box. I am quite adept at microwaving frozen stuff, however. If I don't burn it, does that count as cooking?

Fortunately I’m married to a wonderful cook and an even better baker. Her Gooey Cake is legendary around these parts, but that’s a tale for another day. One of her specialties is breakfast, which is luckily the one meal of the day that my super-picky Little Dude always enjoys. She makes great pancakes, waffles, etc. from scratch.  I wanted to make her cookies from scratch once, but couldn’t figure out which aisle they keep the scratch in at the supermarket, so my plan was foiled.

Anyway, this weekend my wife made something amazing and the response to a picture of it was so tremendous on my Facebook page that I had to share it with everyone. And only partially because I’m hoping that you’ll make it and invite me over.  

It’s called Pop Tart French Toast Soufflé and here’s how you make it, straight from Mrs. Dude (with a few helpful notes from me in parentheses):

Prep time: 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1/3 cup firmly-packed Brown Sugar

2 Tbsp. Butter

2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup

8 Kellogg’s Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts (you could get the store brand “Toaster Pastries”, but 

they usually suck) 

1/3 cup Raisins

1/3 cup Pecans, chopped (I hate pecans, so she didn’t use them.  It’s stellar nonetheless.)

4 Eggs

1 cup Fat-Free Half-and-Half  (I’ve always wondered why they can’t come up with a better name than “half-and-half”. It’s like calling Sprite “Lemon-and-Lime”.)

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 Tbsp. Powdered Sugar

In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter and syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves in about 3-5 minutes. Pour into an 8x8x2-inch baking dish. Cut Pop Tarts into fourths. Arrange half on top of the brown sugar mixture. Sprinkle with raisins and pecans. Top with remaining Pop Tart pieces (i.e. whatever you haven’t already “tasted to make sure it’s still good”).

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half and vanilla. Pour over mixture in baking dish. Bake (uncovered), at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (does anyone reading this have an oven that cooks in Celsius?) about 40 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Devour like a supermodel after a juice cleanse. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Makes 8 servings (unless I’m one of the people eating it, then it makes about 3-4 servings).

Please let me know if you give it a shot and what you think.  What other flavor Pop Tarts would you try?

Enjoy!

DISCLOSURE: Pop-Tarts didn't pay me to write this or even give me any free products, though I wouldn't mind if they did. I've just been a big fan of their products for most of my life, and want all of my friends to experience something this amazing.