This French toast is soft, sweet and filling. The buttery, egg-infused brioche makes it especially rich, and the oatmeal coconut crusting gives it a little chew. We prefer our French toast swimming in a pool of maple syrup, but it would also be nice with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar and some fresh fruit. Brioche has a tender crumb, and works best for this recipe, but I think challah would do nicely as well.
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Oatmeal Coconut Crusted Brioche French Toast
Serves 4-6 – depending on size of loaf, slices and appetites.
- 1 large loaf brioche, sliced
- 1/2 cup oats (old fashioned, not quick-cook)
- 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon
- salt oil or butter for frying
Mise en place – begin by getting organized. Read through the entire recipe before beginning. Measure out all of your ingredients.
Preheat your skillet over medium heat. Preheat oven to 175°F if not serving immediately (to keep French toast warm – see notes at bottom of recipe).
In a dish or plate with lip, combine the oats and coconut. Set aside.
In a large bowl or dish, whisk together the brown sugar and eggs, ensuring they are well combined and smooth. (Your dish should be wide enough to allow for easy bread dunking.) Whisk in the milk, heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon and salt, until well combined.
Lightly butter or grease the preheated skillet. Dip two or three slices of brioche in the milk mixture, coating all sides of the bread. Allow the excess to drip off and then dip in the oat/coconut mixture, coating both sides (use your fingers to gently pat the coating down so it will stick).
Place the slices in the warm skillet and cook until golden brown, then flip and cook second side until golden. Transfer the French toast to the oven to keep warm, and repeat until the entire loaf of brioche is cooked.
Serve with maple syrup or garnish of choice.
Notes:
- I like to re-whisk the milk mixture before dunking each piece of bread to ensure the cinnamon stays evenly distributed.
- If you run out of the oat/coconut coating, simply add more to the mix at a 1:1 ratio.
- If not serving immediately, keep your French toast warm in the oven – preheat the oven to 175°F and place a baking sheet or heat-proof dish on the centre rack. Store the cooked French toast in there until serving – no more than 30 minutes, or your toast will be… toast.