Coconut Cream Pie French Toast
Who else agrees that brunch is the best meal, ever?
I mean, 1. You get to eat a ridiculous amount and then justify it as counting as your breakfast and lunch, 2. It’s perfectly acceptable to eat things that really should count as dessert for a meal, 3. You get to have sweet and savory!, 4. Cocktails are not only okay to drink well before 5, but they are expected! Best meal.
This french toast falls under that “really should be seen as a dessert, but go ahead and eat it and pretend it’s nourishment” category, and it’s amazing. Actually, it may be the best french toast I’ve ever had. I feel like I say that about everything, “This is the best [insert random food/drink here] I’ve ever had.” I can’t help it. It’s always true! That’s just how I am about food…I get way passionate about it, and way excited about it, haha.
You know what’s neat about this french toast? It can easily be completely dairy-free. The only dairy I used was the butter that I cooked it in, but if you use coconut oil (which I would have used if I had it here), then it’s totally free of all dairy.
It’s soaked in a combo of coconut milk, a coconut-almond milk blend, and eggs. The whipped cream on top is made solely of coconut milk. If you’ve never had coconut milk whipped cream, the stuff is ridiculously tasty. It actually whips up to the same consistency of regular whipped cream, though the heat of the french toast and the Florida sun melted it for these photos. You can kind of see the whipped consistency in the background of the picture below.
Another thing that I really like about this recipe is that the slices are super thick and fluffy, so it can soak overnight, and not get the least bit soggy. Also, I’m pretty keen on the caramelization of the brown sugar on the outside of each of the slices. It adds yet another layer of flavor, and texture.
This is beautifully rich and decadent, and 1 or 2 slices is way more than enough.
Ingredients
- 13.5 oz. can coconut milk
- 1 cup coconut-almond milk (I like this kind
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 7 large eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 loaf challah bread, sliced 2-3 inches thick
- brown sugar
- butter or coconut oil
- 13.5 oz. can full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
- 2 tbsp confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- shredded sweetened coconut, toasted on the stove or in the oven until lightly golden
- pure maple syrup
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the milks, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Pour into two 9"x13" baking dishes and arrange the sliced of bread inside. Allow to soak for 10 minutes, then flip the slices over, cover the dishes with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
- When ready to make, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt a bit of butter or coconut oil in the pan.
- Sprinkle the top side of each bread slice with a bit of brown sugar (maybe 1/2 tsp each), and place, just a couple at a time, into the hot pan, sugar side down. Cook for 3-4 minutes, sprinkle the top side with sugar, and flip and cook for 2- 3 more minutes.
- Place the cooked slices on a baking sheet in the oven to cook through while you make the other slices.
for the coconut cream:
- Remove the can of coconut milk from the fridge. Open, and scoop out the solid portion on top. Save, or discard the liquid underneath.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, whip up the colic coconut cream with the sugar and vanilla until creamy and light.
- Serve the french toast with maple syrup, the coconut cream, and the toasted coconut.
Notes
recipe adapted from here
Coconut cream pie french toast?!?!
Is this even legal? Seriously, this looks major!
I know, right?! Being able to justify this as a meal is kinda crazy š