Strawberries and Cream Crispy French Toast
Want a refresher on how to make this?
Makes 6 pieces
INGREDIENTS
For the French Toast
4 eggs, 2 egg yolks
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 cups half and half
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract
2 tablespoons cointreau or other alcohol of choice
6 slices bread of choice (I like brioche or sourdough)
2 cups puffed rice cereal, crushed
2-4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2-4 tablespoons oil
For the Berries
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup greek yogurt
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare custard
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and brown sugar until well combined. Add the half and half, milk, lemon zest, vanilla, and cointreau if using. Whisk well to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a shallow pan, then soak the bread slices in it. Depending on the thickness of slices and type of bread it will take anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes to soak through** See note below
Cook the French Toast
Turn your oven to 350*F and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment, then place a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of butter, then another 2 of oil and let it warm. Once the butter is melted and oil is heated, carefully dip 1 side of the soaked bread in the crushed puffed rice cereal, then place that side down in the pan. Work in batches of 2-3 slices at a time depending on the pan size. Cook on medium for 2-3 minutes, just until it’s nicely golden brown, then flip and cook another 2-3 minutes.
Once the first batch is done, transfer them to the prepared baking sheet and repeat the cooking process with the remaining slices. I like to wipe the pan out between each batch and start with fresh butter/oil to prevent burning.
Once all the slices are cooked, pop them in the oven to finish cooking the center while you make the berries and cream.
Marinate your berries
Place all the sliced berries into a small bowl then sprinkle with the sugar and vanilla. Mix well to combine and let them marinate.
Make whipped cream
Combine the heavy cream and the yogurt in a large bowl and whisk vigorously until the mixture holds firm, but not stiff peaks. Careful not to overtax and it can curdle.
Assemble and serve
Place the warm baked French toast onto a plate or platter, then top with the marinated berries, some of the whipped yogurt cream and a zesting of lemon zest just before serving.
**If you’re using a soft bread like a brioche or challah, its best to slice it the night before and let it sit out to dry up a bit otherwise it can be super soft and hard to work with.
If using a firmer bread like sourdough, no need to do this step, but it may take longer for the custard to soak into it so adjust the soaking time accordingly.
