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French Toast with Vanilla Maple Syrup

Source of Recipe

From "Magnolia Table, Volume 2" by Joanna Gaines


Recipe Introduction

"There is a time and place for the finger things in life—the things that are clearly and without question made to be extraordinary. It's fun to indulge in those things from time to time; however, what I find myself drawn to more regularly is the unexpected delight that comes from taking something ordinary and making it special. French toast is one of those unexpectedly simple dishes that always feels intentional. No one is ever disappointed to hear we're having French toast for breakfast (or dinner!), especially when paired with Chip's favorite—strawberry butter."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter
â—¦ 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
â—¦ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
â—¦ â…“ cup heavy cream
â—¦ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
â—¦ 4 large eggs
â—¦ 12 slices (¾ inch thick) white bread, brioche, or challah
â—¦ â…“ cup Vanilla Maple Syrup (recipe follows) or pure maple syrup, warmed
â—¦ 6 tablespoons Strawberry Butter (recipe follows)
â—¦ Powdered sugar, for dusting


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 250° F. Set a wire rack on a sheet pan.
In a large skillet, heat 6 tablespoons of the butter over low heat until just melted.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Pour the melted butter over the cinnamon-sugar mixture in the bowl and whisk quickly to incorporate. Whisk the cream and vanilla into the butter-brown sugar mixture until well combined, about 30 seconds. Add the eggs and whisk until completely smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.

Heat the skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the pan and swirl to coat; it should start to bubble. Working with 2 or 3 slices of bread at a time, depending on how many will fit into the skillet without crowding, dip the bread slices into the bowl (or pour the mixture into a shallow dish), making sure to coat both sides well. Let the excess mixture drip off into the bowl.

Place the coated slices in the pan and cook until slightly browned on both sides, 5 to 6 minutes total, flipping halfway through. As each batch is cooked, transfer to the wire rack on the sheet pan and set the sheet pan in the oven to keep warm until ready to serve. Repeat to cook the rest of the French toast, using the remaining butter to coat the pan between batches.

Drizzle the French toast evenly with warmed syrup and top each plate with 1 tablespoon strawberry butter. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Makes 6 servings



Vanilla Maple Syrup:

â—¦ 1 cup granulated sugar
â—¦ 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
â—¦ 2 teaspoons pure maple extract

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Add the extracts, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Store in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Reheat in a saucepan over the lowest heat setting before serving.

Makes about 1 ½ cups



Strawberry Butter:

â—¦ 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
â—¦ ¼ cup strawberry preserves
â—¦ â…› teaspoon sea salt

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the butter on high speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the speed to low and add the preserves 1 tablespoon at a time until well incorporated. Sprinkle in the salt and beat on high until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.

Transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Serve at room temperature.

Makes about 1 cup
(sixteen 1-tablespoon servings)