Caramelized Baked French Toast with Berry Sauce

"Simple is the new perfect." Although I have a pretty good concept of what simple and perfect mean, seeing them both in the same sentence was enough to cause me to take pause. To let those words sink in for a few minutes. This wasn't the first time I had come across this message. However, when perfectionism and living in the cursed circle of "not enough..." has guided or rather misguided your thinking for most of your life, words such of these are often easily dismissed out of hand. But for some reason they weren't this time. If there are any blessings coming from living in the never ending storm of the pandemic or from getting older, then for me seeing the words "simple is the new perfect" differently might be one of them. Rather than interpreting them as preventing me from becoming the best version of myself, I saw them as words helping to create an even better me. It was time to embrace them. So I am going to do my best to make "Simple is the new perfect" my only mantra for 2021. Wish me luck!

What better way to get an early start on the simple is perfect way of thinking than with this post for Caramelized Baked French Toast with Berry Sauce. 

Imagine being able to wake up in the morning to enjoying a thick slice of warm out of the oven caramelized French Toast lightly dusted with confectionary sugar and either drizzled with some maple syrup or topped with a homemade berry sauce. And with not very much effort, you can. All it takes is a little planning ahead. Before going to bed at night simply whisk up the milk/egg custard mixture, cut a loaf of sourdough bread into two inch thick slices (then cut in half again), and combine both in a resealable gallon sized plastic bag. As the bread marinates overnight in the refrigerator magic will start to happen.

When you wake up in the morning, you simply preheat the oven to 425 degrees (F), remove the soaked pieces of bread from the bag, evenly sprinkle them with granulated sugar, and bake them at 400 degrees (F) until they are golden on both sides and along the cut edge. With the total baking time ranging from 27 to 32 minutes, the wait time for deliciousness is relatively short. While the French Toast is baking, make some coffee and the berry sauce. Or skip making the berry sauce completely and warm up some maple syrup. 

With an egg and milk mixture flavored with vanilla and some Grand Marnier, eggs, milk and bread combined gives way to the most heavenly French Toast. Sprinkling the soaked bread in granulated sugar and melting some butter on a cast iron or baking sheet, creates the most beautifully caramelized French Toast exterior. With the outside of the bread becoming crispy and caramelized, the inside of the bread is transformed into a mouthwatering bread pudding-like texture when baked on cast iron (or sheet pan) in the oven. 

Beginning the day with a plate topped with a thick slice of the Caramelized Baked French Toast, maybe some fresh berries, berry sauce and/or maple syrup could make for a perfect start. The first time you see and taste this Caramelized Baked French Toast with Berry Sauce you will undoubtedly experience a profound change to your concept of French Toast should be. This version is simply perfect.

As this long year comes to end, take some time to relax, reenergize, and renew your spirit.  Do what makes you happy. Commit to being the best, truest version of yourself. As those are some of the simplest gifts, the ones giving us the greatest sense of fulfillment and gratitude, we can give to ourselves. A platter of Caramelized Baked French Toast with Berry Sauce might be the most perfect, simplest gift you can give to someone else. More than likely it will bring you a bit of pure joy as well.

Recipe

Caramelized Baked French Toast

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

Caramelized Baked French Toast

3 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

A few gratings of fresh nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup (100g) plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

1 Tablespoon Grand Marnier

2 (2 inch thick) slices of sourdough or country bread, cut in half (total of 4 pieces) (See Notes)

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

Blueberry and Blackberry Sauce
9 ounces (255g) fresh blueberries

6 ounces (170g) fresh blackberries
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup caster or granulated sugar
1 - 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 Tablespoons maple syrup

Optional but really very good: Confectionary sugar, maple syrup and some extra fresh berries

Directions

Caramelized Baked French Toast

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, milk, cream, Kosher salt, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, 2 Tablespoons sugar, and Grand Marnier.

2. Place the bread slices in a gallon-size resealable plastic bag. Pour the egg mixture into the bag. Seal the bag, letting as much air out as possible. Lay the sealed bag on a small sheet pan or flat platter and place in the refrigerator overnight. Turn the bag over several times to ensure the milk mixture evenly soaks into the bread.

3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F).

4. Remove the bread slices from the bag, let any excess liquid drip off and place on a platter. 

5. Coat the bread evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar.

6. Place a large flat cast iron pan or rimmed baking sheet in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. 

7. Add two Tablespoons of butter to the hot pan and spread it down the center of the pan.

8. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees (F), place the sugar coated bread slices on the pan, and bake for 14-18 minutes or until the slices are golden brown on the bottom.

9. Flip the bread slices, add the remaining one Tablespoon of butter around the slices, and bake another 7-8 minutes (or until the bottom is nicely browned).

10. Turn the slices on their cut side ends and bake for another 4 to 5 minutes.

11. Remove from the oven and place caramelized baked French Toast on a platter. Lightly dust with confectionary sugar. Serve with the Berry Sauce, fresh berries, and maple syrup.

Blueberry and Blackberry Sauce
1. In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, blackberries water, sugar, lemon juice, and maple syrup.
2. Bring mixture to a boil. Allow to boil for several minutes.
3. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook (stirring frequently) until the sauce has thickened (approximately 10-15 minutes).
4. Transfer to a serving dish.

Notes: (1) This recipe is a slightly adapted version of the Caramelized Sheet-Pan French Toast recipe created by Susan Spungen and published in the New York Times. (2) Use a large loaf of round or oblong sourdough bread (I used sourdough) or a dense loaf of country bread. Because you only need two thick (2") slices of bread for this recipe, you will have extra bread leftover to use in making a second batch or for eating. For the best French Toast, take your slices closer to the center of the loaf of bread. (3) I used a Lodge cast iron pan similar to this one but a large rimmed baking sheet will work as well. Baking time might vary slightly based on which one you use to bake the French Toast.