Pain Perdu Façon « Cyrus » Recipe

Prepare infusion

Split the vanilla bean and scrape seeds into a medium saucepan. Add milk, 1 cup cream, ground cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Warm over medium heat until just steaming (do not boil), stirring to dissolve spices and dissolve about half the sugar (reserve remaining sugar for yolks). Remove from heat, cover and let steep 20–30 minutes to infuse flavors.

Make custard base

Whisk egg yolks with remaining sugar in a bowl until pale and slightly thickened. Reheat the infused milk mixture to a gentle simmer. Slowly temper 1/3 of the hot milk into the yolks while whisking constantly. Gradually whisk the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining milk on low heat.

Cook custard

Stir the mixture continuously with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom, until it thickens slightly and coats the spatula (thickened to about 170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not let it boil. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1 cup heavy cream. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove spices and any coagulated bits.

Chill and churn

Cool the custard to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until very cold (at least 4 hours or overnight). Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions until soft-set, then transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm, at least 2–4 hours.

Make the custard soak: in a wide shallow dish whisk together whole milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, eggs, 3 tbs sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon and 1/4 tsp salt until homogeneous and slightly frothy.

Soak bread: Lay brioche slices in a single layer in the custard. Let sit 1–2 minutes per side for slightly crusty bread, or 2–3 minutes per side for very soft, day-old bread—bread should absorb custard but remain structurally intact. Transfer to a wire rack briefly to drain excess custard for 30–60 seconds.

Heat pan: In a large skillet or griddle over medium heat, melt 1 tbsp butter with 1 tsp neutral oil (oil raises smoke point). Once foaming subsides and pan is hot, reduce heat to medium–low to avoid over-browning.

Cook slices: Working in batches, add 2–3 slices to the pan without crowding. Cook 2–3 minutes per side until deeply golden brown and slightly crisp at edges. Add remaining butter as needed between batches. Internal temperature should be hot and custard set.

Keep warm: Transfer cooked slices to a baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven to keep warm and crisp while finishing remaining bread.

Finish: Lightly brush each slice with melted butter for shine and extra richness just before plating.

Plate: Place one or two slices of warm pain perdu on each plate (depending on appetite). Dust with a little powdered sugar.

Add ice cream: Add a generous quenelle or scoop (about 1/2 cup) of the spiced ice cream alongside or atop the warm toast so it melts slightly.

Top: Drizzle with warm maple syrup (about 1–2 tbs per serving). Scatter toasted nuts and fresh berries if using. Serve immediately so contrast of warm toast and cold spiced ice cream is enjoyed.