Brioche Mascarpone French Toast

Brioche french toast topped with a creamy mascarpone whipped cream and sliced strawberries for the ultimate french toast recipe!

Over the years, I have tested my french toast skills. The perfect amount to soak, to cook, the best combination of ingredients, even presentation. Needless to say, I have eaten my fair share of french toast! This brioche mascarpone french toast is the ultimate french toast recipe!

The main components of a delicious french toast is the custard base, the bread, and of course, the toppings! This recipe calls for fluffy rich brioche bread. Brioche bread makes for the most decadent french toast! The custard base is eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and a little bit of spice. It has the perfect amount of sweetness. Lastly, the french toast toppings! The mascarpone whipped cream is such a showstopper! It is so creamy, perfectly sweet, and pairs perfectly with some fresh berries. I love to cover mine in thinly sliced strawberries. Also, I put all the fixings on top… pure maple syrup and powdered sugar.

This brioche mascarpone french toast is so easy to make but feels so fancy! Whether it is Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, or even just a Sunday morning, this french toast is always a great choice. It comes together in only 30 minutes! This french toast recipe takes minimal effort but is sure to wow whoever enjoys it!

Why is it called French toast?

I know I am not the only one who questions if French toast is actually French every time they make it. Well, in France, French toast is actually called “pain perdu” which means lost bread. The dish developed from food scarcity. When families had stale bread that they didn’t want to waste, they would dip it in an egg mixture to give it new life. Their original recipe of just eggs, milk, sugar, and a little butter has quickly developed in the United States to include everything from fruit to whipped cream.

Ingredients

Before we get to the full recipe detailed below, here are a few notes about the ingredients you will need to make brioche mascarpone french toast.

For the brioche french toast, you will need:

• Brioche: Brioche bread is the best bread for french toast! It is thick & plush. It is high in butter and egg content which makes it super rich and extra delicious. For this recipe you will need 8 slices of brioche bread.
• Eggs: This french toast recipe calls for 2 eggs. This is the base of the custard base which gives the french toast its tender richness.
• Whole milk: I find that whole milk gives the best texture for french toast due to it’s fat and sugar content. It makes the brioche mascarpone french toast fluffy and rich. You will need ⅔ cup whole milk for this recipe.
• Sugar: This custard mixture calls for just ½ of a tablespoon of white granulated sugar. Just a little bit of sweetness!
• Vanilla: 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract is needed for this recipe. Make sure it is not artificial flavoring, as that has alcohol in it and will taste funky when cooking.
• Spices: This brioche french toast calls for cinnamon and ground clove, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon & ⅛ teaspoon of ground clove. This combination of spices adds flavor depth to the french toast.
• Salt: Just a pinch of salt in the custard mixture.
• Butter: You will need 2 tablespoons unsalted butter for cooking the french toast.

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For the mascarpone whipped cream, you will need:

• Heavy cream: You will need 1 cup of heavy cream. It is best if it is kept very cold until ready to prepare. This will help it whip faster and be extra fluffy.
• Powdered sugar: The mascarpone whipped cream will need ¼ cup of powdered sugar. For a little less sweet, take away a tablespoon and for a little more sweet add a tablespoon.
• Mascarpone cheese: The showstopper of the whipped cream, mascarpone cheese! You will need ½ cup of mascarpone cheese for the whipped cream. Mascarpone cheese is similar to ricotta or creme fraiche, but a bit sweeter. It makes the whipped cream taste a little nutty and have a super creamy texture.

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For french toast toppings, you will need:

• Strawberries: My favorite berry with this french toast is strawberries! Thinly sliced strawberries all over the top is perfection.
• Maple syrup: I suggest using pure grade maple syrup. Pure maple syrup has a clean, complex flavor whereas pancake syrup is very sweet and tastes noticeably artificial. Get the real deal, it is worth it!
• Powdered sugar: Sprinkling some powdered sugar on top because why not!

Variations & Substitutions

Experiment with different types of berries! Strawberries are my favorite to pair with this brioche mascarpone french toast, however blueberries, raspberries, or even blackberries would be delicious. See what berry is your favorite with it!

The milk can be substituted for a dairy-free milk or heavy cream. The fat in the whole milk adds to the texture and richness, however if you can’t have dairy, it can be evenly substituted for oat milk, almond milk, or cashew milk. Additionally, for extra luxurious and rich french toast, the whole milk can be substituted for heavy cream. Both substitutions will change the texture of the french toast by changing the fat content, however see what dairy variation best suits your tastes and dietary needs.

Add or take away the amount of powdered sugar in the whipped cream for your desired sweetness. I have found that ¼ cup of powdered sugar is the perfect amount, however if you want it a little bit sweeter add an additional tablespoon or a little less sweet, take away a tablespoon.

Tips & Tricks

Cut thick slices. I don’t know about you but I hate when my french toast becomes mush. That happens if your slices are not thick enough or if you soak them for too long. If you buy pre sliced brioche it should already be cut pretty thick, but if you are slicing it yourself, aim for 1 inch to 1 ¼ inch thick slices.

Whisk that custard base baby! Nothing is worse than biting into sweet french toast and tasting scrambled eggs. If your custard base is not thoroughly whisked, the egg can separate and will then cook when sautéing the french toast. Whisk, whisk, whisk away!

Give the brioche bread a hearty soak. Like I mentioned above, a mushy french toast is sad. However, if you do not let the bread soak for long enough, the bread will not absorb any of the custard mixture and you will end up with a very lackluster french toast. I find the magic number to soak your french toast is 3-4 minutes. Put it in the custard mixture and let one side soak for a couple minutes, then flip and let the other side soak.

Do not cook the french toast at too high of a heat. You want the exterior of the french toast to be nice and golden, but if that happens too fast the inside won’t be fully cooked. Cook it at low-medium heat, rather than medium-high heat. The outside will slowly caramelize and the inside will be plump and cooked through.

Instructions

Prepare the mascarpone whipped cream. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Add in the mascarpone and beat until just combined. Cover the bowl with saran wrap and place in the fridge while making the brioche french toast.

Cut your brioche. Slice the brioche into 1 - 1 ¼ inch slices.

Prepare the custard base. In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and ground clove. Set aside.

Heat a medium sized non-stick pan over low-medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt.

Working with 2 slices at a time, soak in the custard mixture for 3-4 minutes, 1-2 minutes on each side. After soaking, shake off the excess mixture, and carefully place on the heated pan. Cook for 3 minutes on each side until golden. Repeat all slices of bread.

Serve immediately. Top with strawberries, mascarpone whipped cream, maple syrup, and powdered sugar.

Serving Suggestions

Make sure to serve while warm. Top with sliced strawberries, mascarpone whipped cream, maple syrup, and powdered sugar.

To complete your breakfast or brunch table, make other sweet treats like banana bread cinnamon rolls, sweet lemon rolls, or Mexican chocolate cinnamon rolls.

Storage & Reheating

After cooking the french toast, leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 1 month. Place sheets of parchment paper between slices and tightly wrap in aluminum foil, then place in a freezer bag.

The mascarpone whipped cream will last in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

To reheat, bring your french toast to room temperature and then follow the standard heating instructions.

FAQ

Why is my french toast soggy?

French toast can end up soggy if the bread slices are too thin or if they soak up too much of the custard mixture. I have found that soaking the slices for 1-2 minutes on each side makes for the perfect plump french toast that is not soggy.

Should you let bread dry out for french toast?

Dry bread soaks up liquid quicker due to the staleness, therefore if you decide to use dried out bread, reduce the soak time in half. However, it is not necessary to use dried out bread for the perfect french toast.

Why is my french toast so eggy?

If your french toast comes out tasting eggy, most likely your custard mixture was not fully whisked. Do not go easy on the custard mixture. Make sure to thoroughly whisk it so all ingredients are completely combined.

How do you keep french toast warm for a crowd?

To keep french toast warm while cooking the remaining portions, you can heat your oven to 200F and place them in the oven on a sheet pan while finishing the cooking process. They will be fine for 15-20 minutes without drying out.