Biscuit French Toast Recipe

Bloom gelatin

Sprinkle the gelatin over the 2 tbs cold water in a small bowl. Let sit 5 minutes to bloom.

Heat milk

In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup whole milk with 1 tablespoon sugar over medium heat until it just begins to steam and small bubbles form at the edge (do not boil). Remove from heat.

Temper yolks

Whisk the 3 egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly drizzle about 1/3 of the hot milk into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper. Then pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk.

Cook custard base

Return saucepan to low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (about 170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not boil. Remove from heat.

Add gelatin and vanilla

Stir the bloomed gelatin into the hot custard until fully dissolved. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked bits. Let cool to lukewarm (about 15–20 minutes).

Whip cream and fold

Whip 1 cup cold heavy cream to soft peaks. When the custard is cooled to lukewarm, gently fold one-third of the whipped cream into the custard to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whipped cream until smooth. Cover and chill until set, at least 2 hours (can be made a day ahead).

Whisk custard mixture

In a wide, shallow dish (large enough to hold halved biscuits), whisk together 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 3 large eggs, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 teaspoon salt until well combined and slightly frothy.

Let soak briefly

Slice each biscuit in half horizontally. Place biscuit halves cut-side up or flat in the custard, pressing gently so they absorb custard. Let them soak 1–2 minutes per side; for very flaky biscuits, 1 minute per side is usually sufficient to avoid falling apart. Flip and repeat so each half is evenly moistened but not saturated to the point of collapse.

Preheat and heat pan

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbs unsalted butter and swirl until melted and foaming.

Cook biscuit halves

Working in batches, place custard-soaked biscuit halves cut-side down in the hot skillet. Cook 2–3 minutes until golden brown, then flip and brush the cooked side with remaining 1 tbs melted butter. Cook another 2 minutes until golden and cooked through. Adjust heat so they brown without burning; flaky biscuits heat quickly.

Keep warm

Transfer cooked biscuit halves to a baking sheet and keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you cook remaining biscuits.

Assemble

Place two biscuit halves together (rounded top and bottom) to make a sandwich. Spoon or pipe chilled bavarian cream between the halves generously. If desired, warm the assembled sandwich in the oven for 3–4 minutes to slightly soften the cream, or serve chilled for contrast.

Garnish and serve

Dust assembled biscuit French toast generously with confectioners' sugar, top with fresh berries, and serve with maple syrup on the side. Serve immediately so the biscuits retain their crisp edges while the interior is creamy.