Eggnog French Toast with Spiced Whipped Cream
This was our first Christmas as parents and it was a wonderful day that was made simple by not many gifts or activities, but rather lots of time in pj’s at home. We actually didn’t even get Pepper anything but rather wrapped up her “blankie” first thing in the morning after she woke up (god forbid we take it out of her crib while she’s sleeping!) and put that baby in a paper bag and let her discover it and cuddle the living dickens out of it after she opened it up. It was pretty sweet.
This is a time of year that is rich in culture and traditions and while gifts are fine, my most treasured memories growing up have nothing to do with presents but rather the activities, food, family movies, decorations and delicious smells around the house. So on this first year as parents I wanted to start some traditions that are special, meaningful and can be passed down to Pepper for years to come. Sledding in some fresh snow, Raffi’s Christmas album on repeat, and this delicious eggnog french toast breakfast (Pepper didn’t get any french toast this year, but next year she will and I still think the smells and activity in the kitchen is contagious!) I don’t know why I don’t make french toast more often, we always have sourdough bread that is getting stale weekly and I tend to just make breadcrumbs with that, but french toast needs to happen more often on the weekends! This recipe is so festive and something I plan on making every Christmas from now on. I know the big holiday is behind us, but I ‘m assuming some of you have leftover bread and eggnog lying around after Christmas and this is a great winter Sunday brunch. I’ll post a recipe for homemade eggnog next season but for now you can use store-bough or make your own (there’s plenty of great recipes online). I added a little rum to the spiced whipped cream which took this over the top. I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as we do. There’s still a week left of the holiday season so hopefully this little number finds its way onto your kitchen tables soon.
xoxo
Eggnog French Toast with Spiced Whipped Cream
Prep Time: 40 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Serves: 4
French Toast- 1 loaf of sourdough, or country-style bread, sliced 1-inch thick
- 1 1/2 cups eggnog (homemade or store-bought is fine)
- 3 tablespoons dark rum (optional)
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup, cold heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons honey or sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon dark rum (optional but really good!)
- pinch of fine sea salt
- honey simple syrup or maple syrup
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 250F. And set a wire rack on a baking sheet and keep that to the side.
- In a large bowl combine the eggnog, rum, eggs, spices, and vanilla extract. Give it a good whisking. Dip each slice of bread in the batter and then place the bread slices in a large casserole dish. Pour the rest of the batter over the bread, cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Heat the butter in a large cast iron pan until melted and then fry the bread for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown and slightly crips. Place the fried bread on the wire rack and place in the oven to keep warm while you repeat with the rest of the bread.
- To make the whipped cream pour the cream in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. For best results place the whisk in the freezer for 10 minutes before making.(you can also use an immersion blender). Whip the cream until it starts to thicken. Add the honey or sugar, vanilla, spices, rum and a pinch of sea salt. Continue to whisk until it forms thick peaks.
- Serve your french toast with whipped cream and maple syrup.
Notes
*use this recipe as a guide and adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary.