Ice Cream French Toast (Printer-Friendly)

Caramelized toast soaked in a rich melted ice cream custard with hints of cinnamon and vanilla.

# What You 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 Cook:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted ice cream, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and well combined.
02 - Preheat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and allow to melt.
03 - Dip each bread slice into the ice cream custard, soaking for 10 to 15 seconds per side, then let excess 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 batches.
05 - Transfer cooked slices to a wire rack or serving plate. Repeat with remaining bread. Serve warm topped with maple syrup, fresh berries, and powdered sugar if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The custard is naturally richer and creamier than eggs alone, no whisking air into your mixture required.
  • Ice cream flavor bleeds into every bite, so vanilla toast tastes subtly different from chocolate or cinnamon versions.
  • Caramelization happens faster because of the sugar content, giving you that restaurant-quality golden crust at home.
02 -
  • Slightly stale bread is non-negotiable—fresh bread turns to mush, and day-old bread is where the magic happens.
  • If your custard looks grainy or separated, your ice cream was probably too cold or you rushed the melting. Start over with room-temperature melting, and the texture will be smooth every time.
03 -
  • Melt your ice cream at room temperature the night before for the smoothest custard and best texture—microwave melting creates graininess even if it looks fine.
  • When dipping, work quickly so your bread doesn't turn into soup. Ten to fifteen seconds per side is just enough time for saturation without oversaturation.
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