Razzle Dazzle French Toast

• 12 slices pepper bacon
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 hand-cut 1/2-inch slices from a thick and wide Cuban loaf, preferrably hardened overnight
• Mascarpone Cream, for filling, recipe follows
• 3 half pints raspberries
• Maple syrup, for dunking
• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 3 tablespoons malt powder
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the bacon on a wire rack fitted over a baking sheet.
2. Bake until nice and crispy, 12 to 15 minutes.
3. Mix the milk, brown sugar, salt, egg yolks and vanilla bean seeds in a baking dish to make the batter.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick skillet to medium.
5. Dunk each side of the bread into the batter for a few seconds a side.
6. Fry 2 slices of the battered bread until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
7. Repeat the process, wiping the skillet clean between each fry, until you have perfectly golden brown and delicious French toast.
8. (You can hold the French toast in a 200 degree oven on a wire rack set in a baking tray to keep warm if need be.)
9. When the French toast is done, schmear each piece with some Mascarpone Cream.
10. Then top with a pile of raspberries and 3 slices bacon.
11. Close, cut in half and serve with maple syrup for dunking.
12. Mix together the mascarpone, malt powder, maple syrup, salt and vanilla bean seeds in a bowl, and then set aside until ready to use.

pepper, milk, brown sugar, kosher salt, egg yolks, vanilla bean, unsalted butter, overnight, mascarpone cream, pints raspberries, maple syrup, mascarpone cheese, malt powder, maple syrup, kosher salt, vanilla bean

Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jeff-mauro/razzle-dazzle-french-toast-recipe.html (may not work)