French toast is a decadent experience that deserves time to savor.
A memorable moment where you sigh between each succulent bite, swallow the guilt, and resolve to eat lettuce and water the rest of the day. Especially when it comes to a sinfully chocolate, Kahlua and vodka spiked, expresso cream topped encounter like this!
Vodka left from a liqueur tasting led me to blend some Kahlua. My homemade Kahlua led me to make a White Russian. That succulent, creamy cocktail edged me into the temptation of dreaming up other ways to enjoy the same tantalizing combination of flavors, beyond the glass. A perfectly natural progression.
Having taken recipes in the other direction like Strawberry Shortcake to Strawberry Cocktail and Chocolate Mint Pound Cake to Chocolate Mint cocktail. Each soothing sip generated a sweet, tantalizing idea I was excited to try.
French toast is so much more than egg and milk dunked white bread browned and topped with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and cinnamon or a drizzle of maple syrup.
Cake, homemade or flavored breads, or even rolls can form a delicious platform to soak any number of egg based creations in. My Poundcake French Toast With Pineapple Sage Amaretto Syrup transports you to the tropics. Find this recipe in my cookbook, 2 Shots Of Tasting, Toasting, And Tantalizing With Rum - Irresistible Rum Cooking And Cocktail Recipes
Don't let fresh blueberry season pass you by without trying this one, Blueberry Tequila Azul And Pecan Stuffed French Toast
Here's a couple more ideas:
For fall, Caramel Apples Cream And White Chocolate Stuffed French Toast And
Pumpkin Bread Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast With Streusel Topping
Back to our featured White Russian...The java topping, oh my goodness! So simple with three ingredients but it lends such a rich flavor to this dark chocolate cake.
Then there's the star, the reason I created this must try french toast, my homemade Kahlua.If you have a couple of hours to let this simmer on the stove, no need to buy Kahlua again. With a few inexpensive ingredients and a yield of almost 2 quarts, it's worth the time.
And the deep coffee liqueur is a beautiful partner of chocolate.
That fabulous kahlua, vodka, cream theme threads throughout this French toast :) As soon as you have time to stop and savor every bite of brunch, make this french toast!
Servings - 2
Kahlua - almost 2 quarts
Ingredients For Kahlua
- 3 cups white sugar
- 4 slightly rounded tablespoons instant coffee (I use Folgers)
- 4 cups water
- 1/5 (750 ml) vodka
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Ingredients For Cream
- 4 ounces mascarpone, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon expresso powder (I bought expresso and ground it into a fine powder)
- 1/2 tablespoon powdered sugar
Ingredients For French Toast
- 2 thick slices of chocolate pound cake (refrigerated so it's easier to soak without falling apart)
- 1/2 tablespoon butter
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vodka
- 2 tablespoons Kahlua
- powdered sugar for garnish
Directions For Kahlua
1. Add sugar, coffee, and water into a saucepan with no lid.
2. Simmer gently for 2 hours. Cool.
3. Stir in vodka and vanilla. Store tightly in bottles. Good right away but it gets even better with time!
Directions For Cream
1. Blend cream, expresso, and powdered sugar together. The amount of expresso and sugar can be adjusted to taste. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Directions For French Toast
1. You can use store bought or home made cake. Just slice it thick and refrigerate it so it's sturdy enough to handle the custard coating.
2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium low to medium heat.
3. Whisk egg and next three ingredients together in a bowl big enough to dunk cake in.
4. Gently soak each slice in the egg mixture and cook until browned on each side, about 10 to 15 minutes. You want to cook it slow enough that the cake heats all the way through without burning on the outside.
5. Place each slice on a plate, top with expresso cream, a generous drizzle of Kahlua, and a sprinkle of powdered sugar! Oh so divine :)
Storage - I'm sure it's a rule, or should be...eat French toast right away while it's hot, soft, and dripping in syrup of some kind :)
If you do not want to eat all of the cream, keep in the refrigerator for 3 or 4 days.
Pour Kahlua in tightly sealed bottles and store in a cool dark place for up to 4 years. It's best served chilled for cocktails but room temperature for baking.
Do you make your own Kahlua? What are some of your favorite coffee liqueur recipes? Please share in the comments below!
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