Eva Longoria might be known for playing a vain, materialistic Gabrielle Solis on Desperate Housewives who barely used her kitchen (except for that one time she fed dog food to her husband), but IRL Longoria has kitchen skills for days.
Whether she’s cooking alongside people in Latin America in one of her CNN docuseries (Searching for Spain debuted earlier this month), sharing her favorite recipes on Instagram, or writing cookbooks, Longoria has proven her chops go beyond acting, directing and producing.
And while she has many signature dishes, when we ran across a video of her talking about her favorite breakfast dish, we knew it was a must-make. Her Mexican twist on French toast, which she often makes for her loved ones, is a fan favorite. Here’s how to make it at your house.
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What is Mexican French Toast?
Longoria made her go-to French toast on The Kelly Clarkson Show while promoting her 2024 cookbook, My Mexican Kitchen. If you think it’s sacrilege to play with classic French toast, just know variations on the sweet bread dish are abound all over the world, including in Mexico, where both of Eva’s parents are from. In her book, Eva writes, “this (French toast) recipe isn’t traditionally Mexican but I put my Mexican twist on it with piloncillo sugar and Mexican vanilla.”
Longoria’s recipe is very similar to torrejas, a French toast-like dish that hails from Mexico by way of Spanish influence. It consists of sliced bread dipped in a raw egg mixture that’s then deep-fried in a good amount of oil and covered in a rich syrup made of piloncillo, or unrefined cane sugar. If you can’t find piloncillo, Longoria says you can substitute brown sugar for a similar molasses-y, caramelized depth.
Longoria says she usually makes this recipe “for weekend breakfasts when family or friends are in town.” For that extra bit of “ooey, ooey-gooey goodness,” she will top her Mexican French toasts with caramelized bananas and chopped pecans.
This breakfast dish gets the stamp of approval from Longoria’s family and it only took one taste for Kelly Clarkson to be sold, too. “Your lucky family!” Clarkson said. “This is amazing!”
Related: The Surprising Two-Ingredient Breakfast Clint Eastwood Eats Every Day
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How to Make Eva Longoria’s Mexican French Toast
You can find Longoria’s full recipe for Mexican French toast with piloncillo syrup and pecans in her cookbook, My Mexican Kitchen, but here’s the general idea. For ingredients, you’ll need eggs, grated piloncillo or light brown sugar, vanilla extract, butter, sliced brioche bread, sliced bananas, maple syrup and chopped pecans.
In a bowl, whisk the eggs, piloncillo or brown sugar and vanilla until combined. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add some butter. Dip one slice of brioche into the egg mixture, soaking each side. Transfer to the pan and cook until both sides are golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining brioche slices and egg mixture.
Related: The Secret Ingredient for Rich, Tender French Toast, According to Legendary Chef Jacques Pépin
Wipe out the pan and add some more butter. When the butter is melted, add more piloncillo and sliced bananas. Cooking, stirring gently but often, until the sugar melts and the bananas soften, about 2 to 3 minutes. Next, add maple syrup and cook until the syrup is thickened slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add in chopped pecans. Serve the French toast with the banana and pecan topping and serve immediately.
Related: The Surprising Ingredient Eva Longoria Adds to Her Guacamole
