Traditional French Toast

Thick bread slices, browned in hazelnut butter with a caramelized crust. The center remains meltingly soft, saturated with a vanilla custard that coats the palate.

• Prep time: 10 min
• Cook time: 10 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 517
• Protein: 16 g
• Carbs: 74 g
• Fat: 16 g

Ingredients

• 480 g Country bread ( thick slices of stale bread )
• 3 piece Egg ( beaten )
• 250 ml Whole milk
• 3 tbsp Brown sugar
• 40 g Minimum butter sweet
• 1 piece Vanilla bean ( split and seeded )

Instructions

1. Preparing the custard

   In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs with brown sugar and vanilla bean seeds. Gradually pour in the whole milk to obtain a smooth, fluid mixture.

2. Soaking the bread

   Dip the stale country bread slices into the mixture. They should become heavy and spongy to the touch, without falling apart.

3. Cooking in hazelnut butter

   Heat the butter in a pan. When it starts to foam and smells like hazelnut, add the slices. Let them brown until a crisp, dark crust forms on each side.

4. Final caramelization

   Sprinkle a thin layer of sugar at the end of cooking to enhance shine and crunch. Serve immediately while the center is still steaming.

Chef's tips

• The secret lies in stale bread: if it's too fresh, it will fall apart during soaking.
• Don't press the bread down in the pan; let the heat penetrate slowly to cook the egg through to the center.

Storage

Consume immediately to maintain the contrast between crispy and soft. Does not store well.