Challah French Toast with Mixed Berry Syrup

Fluffy spiced toast with a fruity syrup and creamy yogurt.

Challah French Toast with Mixed Berry Syrup

Serves 4-5

this french toast is the culmination of years of french toast making. The toast is lightly custardy in the center while being crisp on the outside. The berry syrup is fruity with the right amount of savory additions to keep it interesting and plays nicely with the slight tang of yogurt. This french toast is not too sweet and in my opinion tastes so much better with the berry syrup and yogurt than it could with traditional syrup.

“Recipe Tips:

1. Challah is a rich dense bread that can stand up to the longer soaking time, however, the bread has be a few days old or it will not work. At least 3 days old is ideal as the bread has a chance to dry out some.

2. The black pepper in the syrup is what makes it special. If you’ve never tasted pepper with berries before, begin with the lesser amount and increase to your taste.”

Ingredients

1 loaf of challah, cut into 14 – 16 1 inch thick slices

Custard

4 large eggs

15g (1 T) sugar

6g (1.5 t) vanilla extract

5g (1.25 t) ground cinnamon

3 - 4g (.75 - 1 t) ground nutmeg

2g (.5 t) kosher salt

250 ml (1.25 c) milk, dairy or nut

Mixed Berry Syrup

600g (4 c) frozen mixed berries

120g (.5 c) sugar

80g (.25 c) Korean rice syrup or honey

2 T water

2 t maesil – optional

1 t lemon juice

.25 - .50 t freshly ground black pepper

.25 t kosher salt

1 spring fresh thyme or pinch dried thyme, crushed

Finishing

Yogurt, plain or vanilla

Softened butter and vegetable oil

Recipe Know-how

Custard

1.      In a medium mixing bowl, combine the eggs and the seasonings mixing well.

• Add milk mixing until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

Syrup

2.      In a medium non-reactive pot. Place all of the syrup ingredients.

• Over medium-high heat bring mixture to a boil covered.

• Uncover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes or until thickened.

If desired, mash the berries slightly with a potato masher.

Taste the syrup adding more pepper or lemon juice if desired.

• Keep the syrup warm.

Cooking

3.      Preheat oven to 120 C / 250 F.

• Place a heat-proof cooling rack into a rimmed baking sheet. Set aside.

4.      Stir custard well and pour onto a rimmed baking sheet.

• Place bread into the custard and soak 5 – 6 minutes.

• Flip and soak 5 – 6 minutes longer.

The bread should not be soggy and falling apart once soaked.

During the soak of the second side, preheat a pan over medium low heat or preheat an electric griddle to 180 C / 350 F.

• Grease pan with 1.5 t butter and 1 t oil, coating the entire surface.

• Place slices of toast onto the cooking surface. Cook 3.5 minutes.

• Flip and cook 2 – 3 minutes longer.

• Remove cooked slices to the prepared pan and place in oven to stay warm.

• Repeat until all toast has been cooked adding additional butter and oil as necessary for each batch.

5.      Serve slices of toast with berry syrup and yogurt.