When You Just Have To Have Some Tonga Toast!

When You Just Have To Have Tonga Toast!

One of our family’s favorite last day traditions is to hop over to the Polynesian resort for a send-off breakfast of Tonga Toast. If we have plenty of time, we have it at Kona Café, a sit-down restaurant. If we’re in a hurry, we scoot down to Captain Cook’s, the Polynesian’s quick-service dining.

And if we’re not at our favorite place in the world, longing for Tonga Toast’s sugary goodness, we make it at home!

Tonga Toast – The Ingredients

Cinnamon Sugar:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Batter:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Other Ingredients:

• 1-quart canola oil, for frying
• 1 loaf sourdough bread (uncut, 12 inches long)
• 2 large bananas, peeled

The Steps

1. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl (large enough to roll toast) with a fork until thoroughly blended. Set aside.
2. Whip eggs in a medium bowl (large enough to dip toast) until well beaten. Add milk, cinnamon, and sugar. Mix well and set aside.
3. Preheat oil to 350 degrees F in a large pot or a deep fryer. (If using a large pot, use a candy thermometer to make certain the oil does not get any hotter, or it will burn.)
4. Slice the bread into four three-inch-thick slices.
5. Cut each banana in half crosswise, then each piece lengthwise.
6. Place a bread slice flat on the counter and tear out just enough from the middle (do not tear all the way through) to stuff half a banana into; repeat with each bread slice.
7. Dip stuffed bread into batter, covering both sides, allowing excess batter to drip off bread and place carefully into the hot oil.
8. Cook 4-5 minutes until golden brown. If needed, turn toast over after 2 minutes and cook for another 2 minutes on the other side. Remove and drain excess oil.
9. Roll toast in cinnamon-sugar. Repeat for each piece of toast.

Serves 4. (Or two, if you have two hungry boys who gobble it as fast as you can make it!)