| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 12 hr 30 min |
| Prep: | 10 min |
| Inactive: | 12 hr |
| Cook: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- Four 3-inch-thick slices country bread
- 4 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup vanilla sugar, plus more for sprinkling
- 1/2 cup brandy
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 9 eggs
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour, for sprinkling
- Powdered sugar, for serving
- Maple syrup, for serving
Instructions
- Place the bread in a large bowl and set aside.
- Whisk together the cream, vanilla sugar, brandy, salt and eggs (or use a blender). Pour over the bread. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then turn the bread over to ensure proper absorption. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Heat large oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat and add the butter. Sprinkle some flour and some vanilla sugar on top of the bread slices. When the foam from the butter subsides, put the soaked bread in the pan and cook on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip the bread and place the pan in the oven until cooked through and custardy in the middle, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Serve with powdered sugar and maple syrup.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 1469 |
| Total Fat | 110 g |
| Saturated Fat | 65 g |
| Carbohydrates | 89 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 72 g |
| Protein | 21 g |
| Cholesterol | 717 mg |
| Sodium | 1120 mg |
Reviews
We LOVE this. We make it once or twice a year. We make half the custard recipe and put the bread and mixture in zip lock bags for a couple of days (very sturdy bread), To avoid plain bread in the middle, we poke some holes in the crust and bread to help it soak in. Make sure you don’t use use a non-stick pan as it will get too dark in the oven.
I make this for Christmas morning. So easy and SO GOOD. If you have extra liquid (you will) try cooking it off in a saucepan. Keep the heat low and keep stirring or it’ll get chunky… It makes a great custard you can use for dipping! 😉
This is my husband’s favorite breakfast, and the best French toast I’ve ever had, period. I use a big loaf of French bread, I add 2 Tablespoons of pure vanilla extract, and I use a 1/2 cup simply orange OJ in place of the brandy. You do not need vanilla sugar as long as you use extract. You can also add a splash of grand marnier if you like, but it’s not necessary with the OJ. If the tops of the bread start to get too brown in the oven, cover with foil and bake a few extra minutes. The combo of orange and vanilla makes this taste like creme brulee, it is amazing!
This is one of our favorites we use Orange liqueur like Grand Marnier or Cointreau for the brandy.
Excellent! Best pain perdu I have ever made.
Absolutely delicious! PERFECT as is!!!
Very forgiving recipe. I’ve made this over a dozen times, substituting half and half, once a mix of milk and sour cream (when I didn’t have heavy cream) and a few different kinds of liqueur. It is always amazing. Marc’s original recipe is the best.
I’ve made this several times now, Every time we have overnight guest and so far everyone has loved it! Super easy to make a Super Yummy!
This is legitimately one of the five best things I have ever made! Two golden spatulas your way Double M!!!
Marc you rock with this one. Making it again for Christmas morning. A present for the whole family. Blessings!