Ice Cream French Toast (Print Version)

Decadent French toast soaked in melted ice cream custard for caramelized, golden slices.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread

01 - 8 slices thick-cut bread (such as brioche or challah), slightly stale

→ Custard

02 - 2 cups premium ice cream (vanilla or preferred flavor), melted
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
05 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
06 - Pinch of salt

→ For Cooking

07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ To Serve (optional)

08 - Maple syrup
09 - Fresh berries
10 - Powdered sugar

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted ice cream, eggs, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and fully combined.
02 - Preheat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon of butter.
03 - Dip each bread slice into the custard, soaking for 10 to 15 seconds on each side, allowing excess to drip off.
04 - Place soaked bread slices onto the skillet and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and caramelized, adding more butter as needed for remaining batches.
05 - Transfer cooked slices to a wire rack or serving plate. Repeat soaking and cooking with remaining bread. Serve warm topped with maple syrup, fresh berries, and powdered sugar if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The custard stays impossibly creamy because ice cream is already perfectly balanced with sugar and cream
  • You get restaurant-quality caramelized edges without any fancy techniques or overnight prep
02 -
  • Soggy bread happens when fresh bread absorbs too much liquid too fast, so plan ahead and let those slices dry out overnight
  • Medium heat is your friend here because high heat burns the outside before the inside cooks through
03 -
  • Let the finished French toast rest on a wire rack for 2 minutes before serving so the exterior stays crisp
  • Add a splash of heavy cream to the custard if your ice cream is on the lighter side
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