French Toast

Ingredients

• 1 loaf Brioche or Challah

• 2 Tbsp butter

Classic French Toast Custard Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups whole milk

• 2 large eggs

• 3-4 Tbsp granulated white sugar

• 1-2 tsp real vanilla extract

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• ½ tsp nutmeg, grated

Fancy French Toast Custard Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups Half & Half or heavy cream

• 3-4 egg yolks

• 3-4 Tbsp dark brown sugar

• 1-2 tsp vanilla paste or one scraped vanilla bean

• ½ tsp nutmeg, grated

• Zest 1 lemon or orange

• Splash of bourbon, rum, or brandy

Process

1. Start by cutting your bread of choice into thick slices. Place onto a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Leave out overnight uncovered, or preheat the oven to its lowest temperature and place the bread in for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Either way, your bread should be nice and dry.

2. For the classic custard, in a large bowl combine 1 ½ cups of whole milk, 2 large eggs, 3-4 tablespoons of granulated white sugar, 1-2 teaspoons of real vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon each of ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk together until combined and no streaks of egg remain.

3. For fancy french toast custard, in a large bowl combine 1 ½ cups of half & half or heavy cream, 3-4 egg yolks, 3-4 tablespoons of dark brown sugar, 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla paste or one scraped vanilla bean, ½ teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg, the zest of a lemon or orange, and a splash of either bourbon, rum, or brandy. Whisk together until fully combined.

4. Once the custard is ready, pour it into a cake pan or pie plate. Grab a piece of thickly cut bread and drop it into the custard, letting it sit for 20-30 seconds on each side.

5. Heat 2 tablespoons of melted butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the soaked bread to the skillet and let the bread fry for 3-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown.

6. Place onto a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet in a 350°F oven while you cook all of the pieces.

Source: Babish