ROSEMARY PAIN PERDU WITH SAUTEED APPLES, CHANTILLY CREAM AND ARMAGNAC CARAMEL SAUCE

ROSEMARY PAIN PERDU WITH SAUTEED APPLES, CHANTILLY CREAM AND ARMAGNAC CARAMEL SAUCE
4 egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream, divided (keep 1 cup very cold)
11/4 teaspoons vanilla, divided
Kosher salt
4 slices day-old rosemary bread, cut into slices about 3/4-inch thick and into rounds about 31/2 inches wide
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, divided
1 large apple, peeled, cored and sliced about 1/4-inch wide (use a tart, firm apple such as Granny Smith, Arkansas Black, Fuji, etc.)
2 tablespoons sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup Armagnac caramel sauce, warmed if necessary (See Basic Caramel Sauce and variations)
Fresh rosemary leaves for garnish
In a wide bowl, whisk together yolks, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of kosher salt. Place bread rounds into the custard, coating the slices. Let stand 30 minutes, turning over occasionally.
Meanwhile, make Chantilly cream. In a standing mixer or with a whisk in a large bowl, whip the remaining cream (make sure it is cold), the remaining 1/4 teaspoon vanilla and powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until needed.
In a large saute pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. When it foams up in a few minutes, add apples, sugar, lemon juice and a pinch of kosher salt. Stir to coat the apples and cook until the apples are soft and beginning to caramelize, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and reserve, keeping warm.
In a clean, large saute pan, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Wipe excess custard from the rosemary bread and cook until golden on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. You can do all rounds at once or cook them in batches, depending on the size of your saute pan. Remove and blot on a paper towel.
Place 1 round of pain perdu on a plate, arrange 1/4 of the sauteed apples on top of the round, then add about 1 tablespoon of Chantilly cream on top. Spoon 1 tablespoon of caramel sauce around the pain perdu and sprinkle with rosemary leaves. Repeat for the other plates and serve immediately.
Servings: 4.
Note: Reserve extra caramel sauce and Chantilly cream for another use.
Each serving: 402 calories; 5 grams protein; 39 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 25 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 346 milligrams cholesterol; 192 milligrams sodium.