Mother's Day Recipe: Brioche French Toast

The key to making extraordinary French toast is to cook it in a hot skillet so that both sides are crisp and nicely browned but the inside remains soft and tender. If you are doubling or tripling this recipe, set a plate in a 200°F oven and move the French toast to the plate to keep warm while you cook the other slices.

Brioche French Toast

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 large eggs
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of kosher salt
4 (1-inch-thick) slices of brioche
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

To Prepare

Crack the eggs into a pie dish. Pour in the half-and-half and vanilla extract, and add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Use a fork to stir well.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat for a couple of minutes.

Soak two of the brioche slices in the egg mixture, flipping to coat both sides. Slide the butter into the hot skillet and, once it melts, lift the brioche slices out of the soaking mixture and place them into the skillet. Cook for a minute or so on the first side, then peek underneath one slice to see how brown it is getting. When it is nicely browned, flip and cook on the second side for another minute or two, until both sides are crisp but the inside is still soft. Repeat with the remaining two slices of brioche.

Stack two slices on each of two warm plates, dust generously with confectioners' sugar, and serve right away.