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Cook the Book: Ham, Brie, and Apple French Toast Panini

Posted by Adam Kuban, March 4, 2008 at 3:15 PM

Today's recipe from this week's featured cookbook, Panini Express is for a Ham, Brie, and Apple French Toast Panini. Apologies in advance for going for another ham-and-cheese variation. I was halfway through preparing this recipe when I realized I'd just done a similar sandwich yesterday. I couldn't resist this one, though, because I've been a fan of the ham-brie-apple combo since discovering it a few years ago. Add the French toast, I thought, and this recipe's a knockout.

As I found out, this recipe really is a knockout. You're essentially taking some fairly rich items—brioche, eggs, and brie—and combining them in a hot, pressed-sandwich package. It's a lot to take in, and I was pretty much "game over" a half a sandwich in. It might be the kind of sandwich you could cook up on a lazy weekend for brunch and serve as halves to family or friends with some fruit or a salad.

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Ham, Brie, and Apple French Toast Panini

- makes 2 sandwiches -

Adapted from Panini Express by Daniel Leader and Lauren Chattman.

Ingredients

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Four 1/2-inch-thick slices brioche
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
6 thin slices (about 3 ounces) Black Forest ham or other ham
1/2 apple, cored and thinly sliced
3 ounces brie, thinly sliced

Procedure

1. Preheat sandwich press according to manufacturer's instructions. Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, beat the eggs with the salt and pepper. Dip brioche in eggs to coat each slice.

2. Carefully place slices on the sandwich press, working in batches if you have to, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until bread is evenly browned. Remove to a work surface.

3. Spread a teaspoon of mustard on each slice, arrange ham on each of two slices. Divide the apple slices evenly among the two ham-topped slices of French toast, and do the same for the brie. Top with remaining two French toast slices, mustard side down.

4. Carefully place sandwich or sandwiches in press. Pull the top down, and cook until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the heat of your machine. Carefully remove finished sandwich(es) from press and serve right away.

Notes

• If you use smaller eggs, try using 3 or 4. The brioche is thirsty and soaks up more egg than I think this recipe calls for.

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Tags: apples, breakfast, brie, brunch, Daniel Leader, ham, panini, Panini Express, pressed sandwiches, sandwiches