What to Choose…?
In my regular routine, it’s not often that I whip up a gourmet breakfast. I keep it pretty simple, but it’s always nice to switch it up and treat yourself to something special. And because I don’t often make breakfast dishes for myself, when I do, I’m always stuck choosing between two items. There’s just so many options available for breakfast! So if you’re indecisive with food, like me, this Almond Croissant French Toast is made for you! Hawaiian bread filled with almond frangipane, coated in sliced almonds, and topped with powdered sugar. With this recipe, you get all the best aspects of a French toast and an almond croissant. This is an easy yet indulgent recipe you can prepare in no time!
One breakfast item that I don’t eat enough, but love so much, is French toast. I’m honestly a sucker for any food items that have a golden, crispy exterior and a warm, soft interior. What makes French toast exceptionally fun is how are versatile it is. You can stuff it, coat it on the outside, make French toast sticks, or bake it as a casserole. There’s an endless list of flavor combinations that you can create, but I fell in love with the idea of making it almond croissant flavored. Almond croissants are also one of my top favorite pastries. It hits all marks of buttery, flakey, sweet, and nutty. With all of these almond croissant pastry renditions and the cookie dough croissant craze, I decided to hop on the bandwagon with this Almond Croissant French Toast recipe.
Frangipane First
First, we’ll make the almond frangipane — just as we would for an almond croissant. In a bowl, combine unsalted butter, sugar, almond flour, an egg, almond extract, and a pinch of salt. Evenly spread this filling onto four slices of Hawaiian bread. I chose to use Hawaiian bread for this recipe because it’s a little sweeter and richer. It pairs great with the French toast custard to get that sweet, plush bite on the inside. Top the frangipane with another slice of bread and we can move onto the custard.
To make the custard, whisk together half and half, an egg, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Dip both side sides of the French toast into the custard until it’s been absorbed. It’s best to use stale bread to prevent the slices from becoming too soggy. However, if you’re using fresh bread soak the slices in the custard for only a few seconds. Allow any excess liquid to drip off then coat both sides with sliced almonds. The almond coating will give an additional nutty flavor and a crisp on the outside.
Low and Slow
When I’m cooking French toast, I prefer the low and slow method. Because the outside is coated in almonds and the custard has egg, the outside will brown relatively fast compared to the inside. Cooking it over a lower heat will ensure that the outside is golden brown and the inside is cooked through. Heat a pan over medium low to medium heat. Add in a pad of butter and allow it to melt. Place the French toast into the pan and cook it for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown on the outside and warm on the inside.
Once the French toasts are ready, top them with powdered sugar and of course syrup! Despite the indulgent combination of foods, this Almond Croissant French Toast is surprisingly not too sweet. The mellow sweetness works really well with the nutty, almond flavor. And because we dipped the Hawaiian bread in the custard, it becomes so fluffy in the center. If you’re looking for a new breakfast item to experiment with or love French toast and almond croissants, this is a recipe you do not want to miss out on. Try it out and let me know what you think in the comments below!
Almond Croissant French Toast
Ingredients
For the Almond Croissant French Toast
- ⅓ cup Granulated Sugar
- ½ cup Almond Flour
- 6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 tsp Almond Extract
- Pinch of Salt
- 8 Slices Hawaiian Bread (preferably stale but not necessary)
- ¾ cup Half and Half
- ¼ tsp Vanilla Extract
- ⅛ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 4 oz. Sliced Almonds
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, add in the granulated sugar, almond flour, and 4 tablespoons of the unsalted butter. Cream the ingredients together until fluffy and well combined. Then mix in 1 egg, the almond extract, and a pinch of salt.
- Evenly distribute the almond filling onto 4 slices of Hawaiian bread. Spread it out into an even layer then sandwich it with the remaining slices of bread. Set aside.
- In a dish, whisk together the remaining egg, half and half, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Mix until well combined. Pour the sliced almonds into a separate shallow dish
- Take one of the French toast sandwiches and dip both sides into the egg custard mixture until well coated. Allow any excess liquid to drip off then place it into the dish with the sliced almonds. Coat both sides with sliced almonds. Repeat this process with the remaining French toast sandwiches.
- Heat a large pan over medium low to medium heat. Working in batches, add in 1 tablespoons of the remaining unsalted butter and allow it to melt. Place 2 of the French toasts into the pan and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown on the outside and cooked through. Repeat this process to cook the rest of the French toasts. Remove the French toasts from the pan and slice them in half. Top with a dusting of powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup. Enjoy!
