Best Chocolate French Toast Pain Perdu By Melissa Darabian Recipes

CHOCOLATE FRENCH TOAST (PAIN PERDU) BY MELISSA D'ARABIAN

Steps:

• Special equipment: 9 by 5-inch baking dish.
• In a small pot over low heat, add 1/4 cup cream, milk, sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, vanilla, and salt and bring to a simmer. Put the chocolate into a medium bowl and pour in the cream mixture. Let sit until the chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and mix until well combined. Grease the baking dish with the remaining tablespoon of butter, and it line with the bread slices, overlapping slightly. Pour the chocolate mixture over the bread, making sure to cover the tips. Push the bread down with your fingers to coat the bread completely. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bake until the custard sets and the bread turns golden at the edges, about 30 minutes.
• Add the remaining cream to a chilled bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Serve the French toast on individual plates with a dollop of cream.

PAIN PERDU - LOST BREAD, A.K.A. FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Preheat nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Beat eggs very well, add sugar and beat again. Add cornstarch in water and beat that in, then add milk and nutmeg. Coat bread thoroughly in egg-milk mixture. Lightly butter hot pan with butter nested in paper towels. Add bread to the pan and cook slowly, 3 or 4 minutes on each side, 2 to 3 slices at a time. Serve hot with your favorite toppings or Three Berry Compote.
• Combine sugar, lemon and water in a small sauce pot. Over moderate heat, dissolve sugar into water. Stir in fruit, coating it in sugar water and bring the fruit and water to a bubble. Reduce heat and simmer 7 or 8 minutes. Remove fruit with a slotted spoon to a serving dish and add maple syrup or honey to the pan. Thicken syrup 5 minutes and pour over fruit. Serve with French toast, pancakes or waffles.

LOUISIANA STYLE FRENCH TOAST (OR PAIN PERDU)

Steps:

• Beat together the eggs,sugar,and vanilla extract.
• Dip each slice of bread into the batter to coat both sides.
• Drain off excess batter and cook on a hot griddle that has been first sprayed with nonstick butter flavor spray (or brushed with oil).
• Brown well on both sides,but don't let burn.
• Dust with powdered sugar and serve with warm maple syrup on the side.
• Note: You may use any kind of bread you prefer-however,the softer the bread you use, the soggier it will be (I prefer to use day old challah bread or Italian bread slices).
• The number of servings will also vary depending upon the size of your bread slices- I usually serve 2-3 slices per person.

CHOCOLATE FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Mix together eggs, Cocoa, sugar, chocolate Syrup and vanilla.
• Soak each bread slice in the mixture.
• Melt butter in a non-stick sauté pan. Fry bread slices until golden brown, turning once (about 2-3 min per side).

CHOCOLATE FRENCH TOAST (PAIN PERDU)

Steps:

• 1. In a small pot over low heat, add 1/4 cup cream, milk, sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, vanilla, and salt and bring to a simmer.
• 2. Put the chocolate into a medium bowl and pour in the cream mixture. Let sit until the chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and mix until well combined.
• 3. Grease the baking dish: (9 by 5-inch) with the remaining tablespoon of butter, and it line with the bread slices, overlapping slightly. Pour the chocolate mixture over the bread, making sure to cover the tips. Push the bread down with your fingers to coat the bread completely. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours.
• 4. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake until the custard sets and the bread turns golden at the edges, about 30 minutes. Add the remaining cream to a chilled bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Serve the French toast on individual plates with a dollop of cream.

PAIN PERDU

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar and cinnamon until blended. Arrange the bread in a large shallow baking dish, overlapping the slices if necessary.
• Pour the milk mixture over the bread and let stand for at least 30 minutes, carefully turning the bread with a wide spatula and rearranging it so it is evenly moistened halfway through the standing time.
• Position one oven rack in the upper third of the oven and one in the lower third and preheat the oven to 400°. Put 2 tablespoons of the butter on each of two baking sheets with sides and place in the oven until the butter melts and pans are hot, about 5 minutes. Tilt the pans so the butter covers them evenly. Remove from the oven.
• Place 5 to 6 slices of the soaked bread on each of the hot pans, spacing them evenly. Bake for 15 minutes. Take the pans out of the oven and turn each piece of bread over with a wide spatula. Return the pans to the oven, placing the one from the top rack on the bottom rack on the top, and bake until the bread is puffed and evenly browned, 15 to 20 minutes more.
• Transfer to a platter, dust with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup, if desired.