The ultimate brunch indulgence, Brioche French Toast is a classic and timeless dish that never fails.
Brioche French Toast is one of those dishes that never fails to defy expectations. It’s indulgent, rich, and so delicious. We have this at the holidays, and this year we celebrated a birthday brunch with the same recipe that brings a smile to everyone’s face. It’s a crowd pleaser, and ultimately a simple dish that really doesn’t take long to prep, unless you have a large hungry crew to feed. Even if that’s the case (this recipe feeds 12!) I have the solution to make slightly ahead!
One of the things that makes this such an easy recipe is the richness of the Brioche bread lends itself to a quick soak (like 30 seconds) being enough for a rich French toast batter. No need to let the bread rest for several minutes – you simply dip the slices in as you are ready to throw into the pan! The egg bath is is simple and basic – another example of letting great ingredients shine on their own.
My daughter chose this as a send off brunch item before she and some friends head overseas on a summer service trip – they will not be hungry on the plane.
Brioche French Toast
Ingredients
- 5 cups whole milk
- 12 eggs
- 4 Tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 loaves brioche bread, sliced thick
- 1 stick butter
- maple syrup for serving
- flaked sea salt for finishing, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper
- In a high sided 9x13 baking dish, crack all 12 eggs, and whisk to break up and beat slightly. Add the milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt, combining thoroughly until no egg lumps are visible. You want this batter well mixed, as it needs to spread over three full loaves of brioche.
- Heat two skillets, or a large griddle pan over medium heat. Divide the butter into small pats for cooking the french toast in batches. Your brioche loaves should yield about 8-10 slices each.
- When the skillets are ready, melt a pat or two of butter in each. Dip slices of brioche quickly on each side, making sure not to rest the bread in the milk bath for too long. This bread is very fragile and will fall apart if soaked for more than a short time. Don't crowd the pans, cooking 3 slices at a time in each pan. When the french toast is golden and cooked through (about 3-4 mins per side) remove to the baking sheets and keep warm in the oven while you finish the remaining slices. It's best to do this well in advance of serving, and don't worry about the french toast drying out in the oven - brioche bread is so densley flavorful and rich, it will taste incredible no matter what!
- When all the slices have been cooked, serve with warmed maple syrup, and a sprinkle of flaked sea salt if you like to finish.
Notes
