Start your fall morning off right with this seasonal cinnamon French toast made with brioche and topped with tender caramelized apples.
COOK + BAKE | Published September 15, 2020
There is no better way to start a crisp fall day than to have a delicious breakfast packed with the flavors of the season. Whether it is apple, pumpkin, spice, or a combination of the three, there are so many options for putting a fall kick to your first meal of the day.
And today you are in luck, because not only am I sharing an incredible recipe for brioche French Toast with a sugar cinnamon crust that is topped with caramelized apples, but I'm also linking to five other fall inspired breakfast ideas being shared by my blogging friends as part of the Tastes of the Season series we do each year. You'll find those further down in the post and I encourage you to visit these blogs so that you can be well-prepared to start your fall mornings right!
(Click here to see all the previous recipes I've shared in this tour.)
WONDERING WHAT BRIOCHE IS?
Brioche is a French bread made with lots of eggs and butter. It is soft and fluffy with a pale yellow tint and shiny golden brown crust. Brioche is really a cross between a pastry and bread and gives a nice texture and flavor to French toast or other dishes.
Better bakeries and grocery stores may carry this type of fresh bread. I purchased a packaged sliced loaf from Aldi.
While I highly suggest you searching for this at the store, you can feel free to use whatever bread you typically enjoy as well for this recipe. The brioche does add a buttery flavor and the thick slices hold up well to being soaked in the egg mixture. But don't let the type of bread hold you back from trying the recipe.
WHAT ELSE CAN BRIOCHE BE USED FOR?
I hate buying a different ingredient for a recipe without knowing how I can use the leftover. It seems so wasteful to just throw good food away.
So if you're like me, rest assured brioche can be used for numerous other things. Some ideas are:
- Grilled cheese sandwiches
- BLT
- Croque Monsieur (fancy name for a French ham and cheese sandwich)
- Homemade croutons
- Bread pudding
- Stuffing
- Ordinary French toast
WHAT SHOULD BE SERVED WITH THIS FALL FRENCH TOAST?
Thanks to the thick slices of bread and apple topping, this dish is really a meal itself for breakfast.
But I have also served it for dinner and added a side of bacon or sausage to accompany the French toast. It really makes a nice presentation with the addition of the apples and "syrup" created from caramelizing the apples. Additional maple syrup isn't necessary, but feel free to try it both ways to discover what you prefer.
CINNAMON CRUSTED FRENCH TOAST WITH CARAMELIZED APPLES
Makes two to four servings
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored, and cut into 8 slices
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 thick slices of brioche bread (cut to a thickness between 3/4 to 1 inch)
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1: To Caramelize the Apples - Combine 1/2 cup of sugar with 1/4 cup water. Heat in a large heavy saute pan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the syrup comes to a simmer. Allow the syrup to boil without stirring, but brushing down the sides of the pan and swirling the pan occasionally to ensure that it cooks evenly and doesn't stick. Do this for about 6 minutes or until it begins to turn golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and add the apples and 3 Tablespoons of butter, stirring the mixture until the butter melts. Return the pan to the stove top and cook over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes until the apples become just tender.
STEP 2: To Make the French Toast - Beat the eggs with a fork in a 9x13 baking dish. Stir in the milk and vanilla. Place the slices of brioche bread into the eggs and allow them to soak for 5 minutes, turning the slices over once halfway through. Heat your griddle over medium heat while the bread is soaking. Melt two Tablespoons of butter onto the pan, then add the brioche slices to the hot pan. Cook for about two to three minutes or until golden brown, and then flip the slice over for another two minutes until the bread is heated through.
STEP 3: To Make Cinnamon Sugar Crust - While your French Toast is grilling, mix 1/4 cup of sugar with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon in a pie plate or shallow bowl. When you remove the French Toast from the griddle, immediately place it into the cinnamon sugar and turn it to coat the slice completely in the cinnamon sugar coating. Transfer the slice to your plate.
STEP 4: To Serve - Slice the French Toast in half if you prefer, top with the tender apples, and drizzle the sugar and butter syrup the apples were cooked in over the fruit and French Toast. Sprinkle with some of the remaining cinnamon sugar and serve immediately.
STILL ON THE HUNT FOR NEW RECIPES TO TRY THIS FALL?
SOME MORE FALL BREAKFAST RECIPES YOU'LL WANT TO TRY
Be sure to visit each of these bloggers to have a look at the delicious breakfast recipes that they are sharing today.
Delicious Coffee Cake by Ella Claire & Co. || Apple Pie Crepes by Tidy Mom || Apple Cranberry Baked Oatmeal by Inspired By Charm
Baked Pumpkin Maple French Toast by Freutcake || Cinnamon Apple French Toast by anderson + grant || Granola Brunch Baked Apples by Handmade Farmhouse
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