Gingerbread French Toast with Pears

Christmas morning breakfast only happens once a year, so why not make it extra special? Gingerbread French Toast with Pears is just that: special, indulgent, and with all the best flavours of Christmas! Thick slices of buttery brioche are soaked in a spiced custard mixture and fried in a pan. Then this Christmas French Toast is served with caramelised pears and drizzled with spiced pear syrup! Add some toasted nuts and you have yourself the most decadent Christmas morning french toast!

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Ingredients and Substitutions

For Gingerbread French Toast

• brioche: you will need 1-2 thick slices of brioche loaf per person.
• eggs: 1 large egg per 2 slices of brioche.
• milk: can be substituted with single cream for extra decadence!
• light brown sugar: can be substituted with dark brown sugar, maple syrup, honey or agave nectar.
• spices: we used ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. But you can substitute the lot with mixed spice.
• vanilla bean paste: we love Nielsen Massey Vanilla Bean paste. This can be replaced with seeds from a vanilla pod.
• butter: unsalted butter is best. It will be used for frying the gingerbread french toast.
• odourless oil: for frying.

For The Caramelised Pears

• pears: Choose ripe pears that will soften quickly in the pan. They will need to be peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges. Read more about the best pears to use below.
• light brown sugar: can be substituted with dark brown sugar.
• a pinch of cinnamon and ginger.

To Serve

• creme fraiche: can be substituted with sour cream or Greek Yoghurt.
• toasted nuts: optional but a very welcome addition for extra texture. Choose toasted pecans or flaked almonds for the best results.

What Pears to Use?

For the best results, it is important to choose suitable pears to serve with this Brioche French Toast. Of course, you want ripe pears, but what type is best in this recipe?

• Try Williams, Anjou or Conference pears in this recipe: they are soft and sweet and soften further in a short amount of time.
• Avoid Asian pears, as they are too crunchy and are more suitable for eating raw, than cooking.

Or if you prefer, you can make this French Toast recipe with Stewed Apples.

Method

Make Caramelised Pears

Peel and core the pear. Cut each quarter into 2-4 wedges depending on how large your pears are. Mix brown sugar and spices in a small bowl. Dip each pear wedge into the spiced sugar. Add the pear wedges to a frying pan on medium heat and cook for 5-8 minutes turning them halfway. The sugar will melt, pears will soften and release juices into the pan, creating a beautiful sauce. Turn the heat off and leave the caramelised pears in the pan whilst you make your Christmas french toast.

Make Gingerbread French Toast

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla paste and spices together.

Arrange the brioche slices in a shallow dish and pour the egg mixture over them. Shuffle the brioche around and gently flip them over so that they are fully covered. Leave them to soak for a minute or so.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Once hot and starting to bubble, lift the brioche slices out of the soaking mixture and into the pan. Fry for 2 minutes without touching the brioche (the slices will need time to firm up, so if you try to move them, they will lose shape and will look all mangled). Carefully flip the brioche sliced over and fry for another 2 minutes until caramelised.

Serving

Arrange two slices of brioche French toast on each plate. Add six pear wedges on top and drizzle with the caramel from the pear pan. Spoon a dollop of creme fraiche on the side and scatter toasted nuts on top!

Tips and Tricks for The Best Brioche French Toast

• If you have the time, make the egg and milk mixture the night before and chill it in the fridge overnight. The milk will infuse with the flavours of the spices resulting in extra tasty brioche French Toast.
• Do not use fresh brioche. Take it out of the packet the night before and leave it to go slightly stale.
• Slice the brioche into thick slices. You want them about 2 cm (¾ in), any thinner and they will be too flimsy after soaking in milk and eggs and hard to flip over in the pan.

• Be very gentle when handling soaked brioche. Lift it into a frying pan supporting the slice from underneath. Also, be careful when flipping it over in the pan.
• Don’t overcrowd the frying pan. Use two pans, if you don’t have one that’s big enough to fit all the slices with gaps in between.

Christmas French Toast Variations

• Skip the pears and serve this Christmas French Toast with Salted Honey Caramel.
• Use stale white bread instead of brioche.
• Experiment with fruit or berries that you serve with this Gingerbread French Toast: apples, bananas and plums work very well.
• Add cardamom to your caramelised pears.

Recipe FAQs

Other Ideas For Christmas Breakfast

If Gingerbread French Toast doesn’t float your boat, why not try one of our other festive Christmas Breakfast ideas:

• Our Christmas Breakfast | Spinach & Smoked Salmon Baked Eggs
• Bagels with Asparagus, Poached Eggs and Pistou
• Savoury French Toast With Bacon and Eggs

Recipe Card

Gingerbread French Toast with Caramelised Pears

Christmas morning breakfast only happens once a year, so why not make it extra special? Gingerbread French Toast with Pears is just that: special, indulgent, and with all the best flavours of Christmas! Thick slices of buttery brioche are soaked in a spiced custard mixture and fried in a pan. Then this Christmas French Toast is served with caramelised pears and drizzled with spiced pear syrup! Add some toasted nuts and you have yourself the most decadent Christmas morning french toast!

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Christmas, French

Servings 2 portions

Calories 501 kcal

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

For French Toast:

• 4 thick slices of brioche
• 2 eggs large
• 90 ml milk
• 1 level tbsp light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 20 g butter for frying
• 1 tablespoon odourless oil

For Caramelised Pears:

• 2 pears peeled, cored and cut into wedges
• 20 g light brown sugar
• a pinch of cinnamon and ginger

To Serve:

• 2 tablespoon creme fraiche
• toasted nuts optional

Instructions

 

Make Caramelised Pears:

• Peel and core the pear. Cut each quarter into 2-4 wedges depending on how large your pears are. Mix brown sugar and spices in a small bowl. Dip each pear wedge into the spiced sugar. Add the pear wedges to a frying pan on medium heat and cook for 5-8 minutes turning them halfway. The sugar will melt, pears will soften and release juices into the pan, creating a beautiful sauce. Turn the heat off and leave the caramelised pears in the pan whilst you make your Christmas french toast.

Make Gingerbread French Toast:

• In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla paste and spices together.
• Arrange the brioche slices in a shallow dish and pour the egg mixture over. Shuffle the brioche around and gently flip them over so that they are fully covered. Leave them to soak for a minute or so.
• Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Once hot and starting to bubble, lift the brioche slices out of the soaking mixture and into the pan. Fry for 2 minutes without touching the brioche (the slices will need time to firm up, so if you try to move them, they will lose shape and will look all mangled). Carefully flip the brioche sliced over and fry for another 2 minutes until caramelised.

Serve:

• Arrange two slices of brioche French toast on each plate. Add pear wedges on top and drizzle with the caramel from the pear pan. Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche on the side and scatter toasted nuts on top!

Nutrition

Calories: 501kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 9gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 232mgSodium: 305mgPotassium: 340mgFiber: 3gSugar: 40gVitamin A: 1136IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 156mgIron: 1mg

Keyword Brioche French Toast, Caramelised Pear French Toast, Caramelised Pears, Christmas French Toast, French Toast With Pears, Gingerbread French Toast

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