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
- Mix sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl (large enough to roll toast) with a fork until thoroughly blended. Set aside.
- Whip eggs in a medium bowl (large enough to dip toast) until well beaten. Add milk, cinnamon, and sugar. Mix well and set aside.
- 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.)
- Slice the bread into four three-inch-thick slices.
- Cut each banana in half crosswise, then each piece lengthwise.
- 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.
- Dip stuffed bread into batter, covering both sides, allowing excess batter to drip off bread and place carefully into the hot oil.
- 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.
- 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!)
