French Toast Recipe
cinnamon roasted apples, vanilla custard, maple syrup
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Custard & Soaking Liquid
Bread & Coating
Cinnamon Roasted Apples
To Finish
Method
Custard & Soaking Liquid
Make the vanilla custard
In a medium bowl whisk together the whole milk, heavy cream, eggs, egg yolk, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt until fully combined and slightly frothy. Taste and adjust cinnamon or vanilla as desired.
Soak the bread
Arrange the brioche or challah slices in a single layer in a shallow baking dish. Pour the custard mixture over the bread, pressing gently so each slice absorbs liquid. Let soak 3–5 minutes per side (about 6–10 minutes total) until the center is moist but not falling apart. If bread is very fresh and soft, reduce soak time to avoid sogginess.
Cinnamon Roasted Apples
Prepare apples
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). In a mixing bowl toss the sliced apples with light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and lemon juice until evenly coated.
Roast apples
Spread the apples in a single layer on a small baking sheet or in a shallow ovenproof dish. Dot with the tablespoon of butter and roast 12–15 minutes, stirring once halfway, until apples are tender and starting to caramelize around the edges. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract right after removing from the oven. Keep warm.
Cook the French Toast
Preheat pan
Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and let it melt and foam.
Sear the soaked bread
Working in batches (do not overcrowd), transfer soaked bread slices to the skillet. Cook 2.5–3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and set, adding more butter (about 1 tablespoon) between batches as needed. If the exterior browns too quickly before the center is cooked, lower the heat slightly and cover the pan for the final 30–60 seconds to finish cooking through.
Keep warm
Place cooked French toast on a baking sheet and keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you finish remaining slices.
To Finish
Warm maple syrup
Warm the maple syrup gently in a small saucepan over low heat until just heated through. Stir in the powdered sugar, sea salt, and the optional scraped vanilla bean (or extra vanilla extract) until smooth. Keep warm.