Nothing like starting off a Monday morning with a hearty breakfast. Trader Joes sells this great sliced brioche bread which makes the absolute perfect French Toast so I thought that I would indulge. Light, fluffy with just the right amount of sweetness. And you know what, French Toast doesn’t actually take that long as I managed to make it before my early doors this morning. Might need to make a habit of this to start the week.
Ingredients
for the butter (optional)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
zest from 1/2 orange
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of salt
for the toast
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or cardamom (either works here; I am a huge cardamom fan, so I used that)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6-8 slices challah, brioche, or white bread
maple syrup, warmed, for serving
Directions
First, make the compound butter. This can be made up to a week ahead of time and refrigerated. Also, this can be used for other things, including simply using it on regular toast, or scones, or biscuits. In a small bowl, using a small spatula or spoon, mix together butter powdered sugar, orange zest, spices and salt until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Next, make your French toast. This doesn’t take very long, so you might want to pull the gang together at the breakfast table. In a small bowl, combine cardamom, nutmeg, and sugar and set aside briefly. In a 10-inch or 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk together spice mixture, eggs, milk, and vanilla and pour into a shallow container such as a pie plate. Dip bread in egg mixture and let soak from 20-30 seconds. Fry slices until golden brown, then flip to cook the other side. Serve with the compound butter and warmed maple syrup.
