Brioche French Toast
If you’ve never had the pleasure of Brioche French Toast, it’s high time you become acquainted. Rich, flavorful, and ever-so-tender brioche is dipped in a simple milk and egg custard base before being pan-fried to perfection. Breakfast bliss, here we come!
Servings: 18 Slices (2 Brioche Loaves)
Calories: 189kcal
Equipment
- 2 Loaf Pans
Ingredients
Brioche Loaves
- ¾ Cup Warm Water
- ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest
- 3 ¾ Cup All-Purpose flour
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1 ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ⅓ Cup + 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter room temperature
- Egg wash 1 egg whisked with a tablespoon of milk or cream
Frying Brioche into French Toast
- ⅔ Cup Milk
- 3 Eggs
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter for pan frying
Instructions
Brioche Doughnuts
- Mix together the warm water, sugar and yeast together in your stand mixer’s mixing bowl. Let this mixture rest undisturbed for 5-10 minutes until you start to see bubbles start to form on the surface.
- Add your lemon zest, flour, and eggs to the active yeast mixture using the paddle attachment. After one minute of mixing on medium speed, the ingredients should be well combined. At this point, switch to using the dough hook attachment and knead for 6-8 minutes before adding salt and butter one tablespoon at a time. Continue kneading with the dough hook for another 5-8 minutes until the dough looks smooth and glossy and you notice that the dough is not sticking to the sides of the bowl. This means that your dough has been well developed and we can stop mixing.1 teaspoon Lemon Zest , 3 ¾ Cup All-Purpose flour, 3 Large Eggs, 1 ¼ teaspoon Salt, ⅓ Cup + 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl and allow to proof for 1.5 to 2 hours covered in plastic wrap. You’re looking for the dough to have about doubled in size before moving on to the next step. If your kitchen tends to run quite cold, try to find a warm spot to leave the dough for this resting period. Then, remove the plastic wrap, and degas the dough by punching it down before recovering and placing in the fridge overnight. This overnight rest of about 12-14 hours is essential in order to develop flavor as the dough continues to ferment slowly within low temperatures.
- After the dough has rested overnight – it’s time to start shaping! Divide your dough using a sharp knife or a bench scraper into 6 even pieces. Gently degas each piece by pressing on top of the ball with the heel of your hand before forming into a tight boule. Place 3 boules in each sprayed/greased loaf pan. Cover with a clean cloth and set in a warm, draft-free environment until doubled in size, about 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Gently brush both proofed loaves with egg wash and bake at 330°F for 35 minutes or until the internal temperature of your loaves reach 190°F. Once baked, remove the loaves from their pans and allow to cool on a cooling rack.Egg wash
Frying Brioche into French Toast
- Whisk together the milk, eggs, and spices until well combined.⅔ Cup Milk, 3 Eggs, ½ teaspoon Cinnamon, ½ teaspoon Cardamom, ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- Once the brioche has cooled to room temperature, slice each boule into 3 even pieces. Working in batches according to the size of your pan, dip slices in the french toast base, then pan fry in butter until golden brown on both sides.3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- Top french toast with fresh fruit, powdered sugar, maple syrup and dust with powdered sugar.
Video
Notes
Expert Tips
- DON’T skip the overnight rest. The dough continues to ferment slowly overnight within the low temperatures, which is essential to developing the brioche’s flavor.
- Create a proofing drawer with your oven. If you live in a cold climate or have a drafty house, you may want to create a warmer environment to speed up the rise time. To do this, place cake tin or other heat-proof dish in the bottom of your oven while it is turned off. Add boiling water, then place the brioche on one of the racks above it and close the door. You’ve created a perfect, cozy nest for the yeast to work!
- Store your yeast in the refrigerator or freezer to prolong its shelf life.
- Salt can kill yeast, so make a buffer with your flour before adding it to the proofed yeast mixture.
Nutrition
Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 187mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 282IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg
