The best brioche French toast with soft, custardy bread, with four different topping options – Kinder Bueno, Strawberry Cheesecake, Dubai Chocolate, and Creme Brulee. Perfect for a fancy breakfast or brunch!
French Toast is, without a doubt, one of my top 3 breakfast dishes. I love it because the soft, custardy bread is the perfect carrier for different toppings. Whether you like something chocolatey or fruity, the options are endless.
But every time I’m making French Toast, I get confused because I don’t want to have just one flavor. I want chocolatey and fruity and everything else. So I thought, why are we making one flavor anyway when we can make four?
This Brioche French Toast flight features four toppings: Kinder Bueno, Strawberry Cheesecake, Dubai Chocolate, and Creme Brulee, all made with simple ingredients. You can choose one or two, or go all out with all four! They provide the perfect balance of flavors.
Let’s get into the recipe.
Brioche French Toast
The star of the show is, of course, the French toast, as it’s going to carry all the other flavors. If the toast isn’t good, nothing else will be. While making brioche French toast is quite simple, there are a few important things to keep in mind to make it properly, but if you follow this recipe, you’ll have perfect French toast every time.
Here are the steps for making the brioche French Toast.
- Remove the crust from the brioche slices and slice them into thick sticks.
- In a bowl, add the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla essence, and cinnamon powder and whisk until well combined.
- Soak each bread slice in the custard for 90-120 seconds. Make sure not to soak it for too long, or it will absorb too much of the liquid and might bread easily. You want it to be soaked enough to have a custardy center, but not break down.
- Place the pan on medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter or ghee. Once the butter is melted and hot, place the brioche slices. Make sure to cook on medium heat so that the French toast gets cooked evenly from the center while browning from the outside. Cook the bread on each side, then remove and place on a plate, ready for topping.
PS: If you love French toast, try these recipes!
Kinder Bueno French Toast
For the Kinder Bueno French toast, the bread is topped with a simple, two-ingredient chocolate ganache and a Kinder Bueno bar. It’s rich, chocolatey, and crispy at the same time. The perfect flavor for chocolate lovers!
Here are the steps for making the Kinder Bueno French toast.
- Make the ganache: Heat the cream in a saucepan until it almost starts boiling, and place the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let it sit for 1-2 minutes until the chocolate melts, then whisk until fully combined. Let the ganache thicken for 15-20 minutes before using.
- Top the prepared French toast with the chocolate ganache, then place a bar of Kinder Bueno on top.
Dubai Chocolate French Toast
The Dubai Chocolate French Toast is topped with the same ganache as we’ve used in the Kinder Bueno French toast, along with pistachio paste and crispy kunafa dough. The perfect combination of texture and flavor.
Here are the steps for making the Dubai Chocolate French toast.
- Make the ganache as instructed above.
- Make the crispy kunafa dough: In a pan, heat butter or ghee, then add the kataifi dough and cook on medium heat while mixing often until the dough is golden and crispy. Remove and place on a paper towel until ready to use.
- Top the prepared French toast with the chocolate ganache and pistachio paste, and finish with the crispy kunafa.
Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast
All the flavors of a fruity cheesecake in French toast. If you love cheesecake, you’ll love this one. It’s topped with a simple cream cheese frosting, strawberry coulis, and crushed biscuits. You can also swap the coulis with strawberry jam to make it easier.
Here are the steps for making the Strawberry Cheesecake French toast.
- Make the cream cheese glaze: In a bowl, whisk the butter, cream cheese, icing sugar, and vanilla on high speed until fully combined and smooth.
- Make the strawberry coulis: Place the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan and cook covered on low heat while mixing often until the strawberries break down and reach a jam-like texture.
- Top the prepared French toast with the cream cheese glaze and strawberry coulis, and finish with the crushed digestive biscuits.
Creme Brulee French Toast
This flavor requires a little extra effort, as you have to make custard from scratch, but trust me, it’s well worth the effort. And the custard isn’t even hard to make!
Here are the steps for making the Creme Brulee French toast.
- Place the milk and vanilla in a saucepan and let it come to a simmer. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and corn flour in a bowl until pale and creamy.
- Once the milk heats up, pour it into the eggs while whisking to temper the eggs so that they do not scramble while cooking.
- Place the mixture back in the saucepan and cook on medium heat while mixing continuously with a spatula until the custard starts to thicken. As soon as it starts to thicken, switch to a whisk and mix it for 1-2 minutes until it has thickened enough. Do not cook for longer, or the custard will become too thick and gloopy.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. If not planning to use it immediately, cover tightly with cling film and let it set in the fridge. Whisk well before using.
- Top the prepared French toast with the custard, sprinkle some sugar on top, and use a blow torch to burn the sugar to create a crisp top. Finish with any fruit of your choice.
If you’re a fan of sweet breakfasts like me, this will be your new favorite dish to make. It’s also the perfect thing to make when you’re hosting friends or family. Prepare all the toppings the night before, and it will be ready in minutes!
Ready to get started? Let’s go!
PS: I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. Using a measuring scale is the only way to bake accurately. Cups are unreliable and can give different measurements, so I suggest you buy a measuring scale before you start baking! If you can’t get your hands on one, you can use the online tools for converting grams into cups; however, I do not guarantee their accuracy.
Brioche French Toast Four Ways
Equipment
- Hand whisk
- Silicone spatula
- Frying pan
- Saucepan for making custard
Ingredients
Brioche French Toast Base
- 4 slices thick brioche slices
- 2 eggs
- 150 ml full-fat milk
- 30 grams granulated white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
Kinder Bueno French Toast
- 100 grams milk chocolate chopped
- 100 grams liquid whipping cream
- 1 Kinder Bueno bar
Dubai Chocolate French Toast
- 100 grams milk chocolate chopped
- 100 grams liquid whipping cream
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 50 grams kataifi dough
- 1 tbsp pistachio paste
Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast
- 60 grams cream cheese
- 25 grams unsalted butter softened
- 60 grams powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 50 grams strawberry fresh or frozen
- 25 grams granulated white sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp crushed digestive biscuits
Creme Brulee French Toast
- 250 ml full-fat milk
- 1 tsp vanilla essence or vanilla pod
- 50 grams egg yolk
- 60 grams caster sugar
- 25 grams cornflour/cornstarch
- 15 gs unsalted butter
- Fruit of your choice
Instructions
Brioche French Toast Base
- Trim the edges off the brioche slices and cut them into thick, even sticks.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon until smooth and well blended.
- Dip each piece of brioche into the custard mixture and let it soak for about 90–120 seconds. Avoid soaking for too long, as the bread can become overly soft.
- Heat a pan over medium heat and add around 2 tablespoons of butter or ghee. Once melted and hot, add the soaked brioche. Cook over medium heat so the center cooks through while the outside turns golden and crisp. Flip to cook all sides evenly, then transfer to a plate and prepare for toppings.
Kinder Bueno French Toast
- Prepare the ganache by heating the cream until just before boiling. Place the chocolate in a heat-safe bowl, then pour the hot cream over it. Let it rest for 1-2 minutes before whisking until smooth. Allow the ganache to sit for 15-20 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Spoon the chocolate ganache over the French toast and top with a Kinder Bueno bar.
Dubai Chocolate French Toast
- Prepare the chocolate ganache using the same method as above.
- For the crispy kunafa, heat butter or ghee in a pan, add the kataifi dough, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden and crunchy. Transfer to a paper towel and set aside.
- Finish the French toast with a layer of ganache, a drizzle of pistachio paste, and a generous sprinkle of crispy kunafa.
Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast
- To make the cream cheese glaze, beat the butter, cream cheese, icing sugar, and vanilla together on high speed until light, smooth, and creamy.
- For the strawberry coulis, cook the strawberries with sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until the fruit breaks down and reaches a thick, jam-like consistency.
- Top the French toast with the cream cheese glaze and strawberry coulis, then finish with crushed digestive biscuits for texture.
Creme Brulee French Toast
- Heat the milk with vanilla in a saucepan until it just begins to simmer. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and corn flour until pale and smooth.
- Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg mixture while whisking continuously to temper the eggs.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula. Once it begins to thicken, switch to a whisk and continue mixing for 1-2 minutes until the custard reaches the right consistency. Avoid overcooking, as this can make it overly thick.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. If making ahead, press cling film directly onto the surface and chill. Whisk again before using.
- Spoon the custard over the French toast, sprinkle with sugar, and caramelise using a blow torch to create a crisp topping. Finish with fresh fruit of your choice.
Notes
Tips & Tricks for Perfect Brioche French Toast
- Choose the right bread: Brioche works best when it’s slightly stale. Fresh bread can soak up too much custard and fall apart while cooking.
- Don’t rush the soak: Let the brioche sit in the custard just long enough to absorb flavour without becoming fragile. A soft, custardy centre comes from balance, not over-soaking.
- Keep the heat moderate: Cooking on medium heat allows the French toast to cook through evenly while developing a golden crust on the outside.
- Rest your ganache: Giving the chocolate ganache time to thicken helps it sit beautifully on the French toast instead of running off the sides.
- Torch carefully: When bruleeing the sugar, move the flame constantly to avoid burning one spot and to achieve an even, crackly top.
- Finish just before serving: Add toppings and sauces right before serving to keep textures fresh and prevent the toast from becoming soggy.
If you give this recipe a try, don’t forget to let me know how you liked it in the comments. And of course, share it with me on Instagram!
Until next time!
