Hot Chocolate French Toast
Merry Christmas! One of my favorite things about Christmas is spending so much time with my family. On Christmas morning, we always light a cozy fire in the fireplace, open presents, and and I usually make a decadent breakfast before we all go back to sleep for a bit haha :) Christmas morning has always been one of my favorite memories... there's something about the sounds of the Christmas Parade on tv, lounging out by a fire, and the smells of delicious food that makes Christmas so special. There's such simple joy in the holiday season.
The smell of hot chocolate is so comforting to me. It reminds me of my childhood. When it comes to breakfast, my family has always been about waffles. What is it about wanting what you don't have, even when it comes to something as simple as breakfast? :) As a kid I always craved French Toast. I imagined the crisp edges and custardy center...while munching on waffles. Now as an adult, I eat French Toast when ever possible ;) Check out my recipes for King's Hawaiian French Toast and Pumpkin Spice French Toast as evidence! For Christmas breakfast, I thought, why not combine these two fantastic flavors? Soaking eggy brioche in a custard mixture spiked with hot chocolate mix is as decadent as you can get. Hot Chocolate French Toast is perfect for the holidays. Watch the video recipe and let's get cookin :)
What You Need:
- 1 cup milk (I used 2%, you can use whole, or even coconut milk if you wish)
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 4 tbsp of your favorite hot chocolate mix (I used Cadbury's drinking chocolate)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4-8 thick slices of bread (I used brioche. You can use Challah, raisin bread, sour dough, even leftover Panettone! Whatever bread you prefer)
- Butter for cooking
- For serving: whipped cream, marshmallows, toasted coconut, or even berries
What To Do:
- French Toast works best with a thicker slice of bread. If the bread you are using is particularly soft, you can leave it out overnight, or throw the slices in the oven for a few minutes to toast them up a bit. This will help the bread to soak up the custard mixture without falling apart.
- In a large bowl, combine 1 cup milk, 3 eggs, 4 tbsp hot cocoa mix, 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract, and 1/4 tsp salt.
- Soak each piece of bread in the custard mixture. Allow the bread to sit and really soak up the custard thru its center.
- All ready for cooking! :)
- French toast really is as simple as soaking the bread in custard and cooking it in a bit of butter.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a pad of butter and swirl to coat the pan. When the butter starts bubbling, place a piece of bread into the pan, frying until golden brown. Flip to cook the other side. That's it!
- Serve with your choice of toppings... whipped cream and toasted coconut would be delicious. You can top the french toast off with marshmallows, syrup, chocolate sauce, or even some fresh berries would be delicious.
The chocolate flavor is nice and subtle, despite looking really rich. It's a nice little switch up from the normal French Toast, and really brings some holiday cheer to breakfast! :) Hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas. Thanks so much for being so supportive! xoxo