Gruyere French Toast with Warm Apple Syrup

Combine the cider and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add the shallots and 2 teaspoons of butter to a medium skillet and cook over medium heat for one minute. Add the cider mixture, apples and syrup to the shallots and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low and cook for another 3 minutes, or until apples begin to soften. Set aside and keep warm.

Slice a pocket into the bottom of each slice of bread and add 2 slices of cheese to each one. Then combine the milk, buttermilk, salt, nutmeg, egg and egg white in a shallow dish. Coat each slice of bread in the mixture. Then add 1 teaspoon of butter to a large skillet and add three slices of the bread to the skillet along with the pecans. Cook the slices of bread about 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Repeat the process, leaving the pecans in the skillet, using 1 teaspoon of butter each time, until all the slices are toasted. Remove the pecans.

Serve the French toast slices with the apple and shallot syrup and top with pecans. Serves four.

(Recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine.)