Brown Sugar Kahlua Grilled Peaches and Cream French Toast
This mouth-watering French toast is topped with grilled peaches drenched in a luscious vanilla bean cream. Every bite is a tantalizing blend of sweet and savory flavors, perfect for a delightful brunch or a special occasion.
This mouth-watering French toast is topped with grilled peaches drenched in a luscious vanilla bean cream. Every bite is a tantalizing blend of sweet and savory flavors, perfect for a delightful brunch or a special occasion.
- 3 eggs
- 1 (15 ounce) can full-fat coconut milk or 1 cup heavy cream cold (refrigerate overnight)
- 1/2 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 vanilla bean seeds scraped or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ripe peaches quartered + pits removed
- 4 tablespoons butter melted + plus more for spreading
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract divided
- 2 tablespoons kahlua divided (optional)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar divided
- 6 thick slices brioche or challah bread
- 1 cup milk (i used coconut milk)
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- pure maple syrup for drizzling
- powdered sugar for dusting
- Carbohydrate 44.7839350117062 g
- Cholesterol 45.5708333507747 mg
- Fat 16.4714941732466 g
- Fiber 0.345149990081787 g
- Protein 4.28775666674977 g
- Saturated Fat 10.4043610041671 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (190g)
- Sodium 246.586458383363 mg
- Sugar 44.4387850216244 g
- Trans Fat 1.14165691712728 g
- Calories 359 calories
Step-by-step
- Tip your cold can of coconut milk upside down and open it. There should be around 1/2 cup of coconut water at the top. Pour this into a container and save for another use. Scoop out the coconut cream and place in a bowl. Whip the cream for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft peaks form. If you are whipping heavy cream, whip another 3-5 minutes or until medium peaks form. Beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Place in the fridge while you grill the french toast + peaches.
- Preheat the grill or a grill pan to medium high heat.
- In a small bowl whisk together 4 tablespoons melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon Kahlua (if using). Place the quartered peaches on a plate and brush with a little bit of the melted butter, reserve the remaining butter for basting while grilling. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon brown sugar over the buttered peaches.
- In the bottom of a shallow dish whisk together the milk, eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 tablespoon kahlua (if using) and cinnamon.
- Generously butter all sides of each piece of bread (front and back!!!). Place the bread slices in the egg mixture and allow them to soak 1-2 minutes. Flip the slices and sprinkle with a little brown sugar, then allow to soak another 1-2 minutes. Remove the bread and place the sugared side down on a plate. Sprinkle the other side with sugar. Repeat with the remaining bread slices.
- Place the peaches cut side down on the grill and grill for 3-5 five minutes or until lightly caramelized. Flip and grill another 3-5 minutes, drizzle with the remaining melted butter/kahula mixture as they cook. During the same time add the slices of bread directly to the grill. Grill for 3-5 minutes per side, watching closely to make sure they do not burn. Drizzle with the melted butter/kahula mixture as they cook. You want the bread to be golden and lightly caramelized. Remove the french toast + peaches from the grill. Serve with whipped cream and a dusting of powdered sugar. Drizzle with maple syrup if desired. EAT RIGHT AWAY.
Brioche demands careful management of moisture, as its high butter and egg content makes it prone to scorching over direct heat. Enriched breads contain natural sugars that brown rapidly, turning bitter if exposed to uncontrolled flames. Medium-high heat provides the precise thermal energy required to caramelize the exterior while setting the custard core without burning the surface. Soaking the bread for one to two minutes per side ensures the liquid penetrates the crumb completely, creating a contrast between the tender interior and the crisp outer crust.
Surface moisture on the fruit is the primary enemy of proper grill marks, dissolving the brown sugar before direct contact with the grates can caramelize it. Brushing the quartered peaches with melted butter protects the flesh from sticking while transferring heat efficiently. Grilling the fruit cut-side down for three to five minutes develops complex pyrazines through the Maillard reaction, yielding deep flavor notes that balance the rich dairy topping. Basting the slices with the remaining butter and liqueur mixture during cooking prevents desiccation over the open fire.
Whipped cream stability relies heavily on thermal control during the beating process. Chilling the heavy cream or coconut cream thoroughly forces the milkfat globules to solidify, trapping air bubbles effectively within three to five minutes of high-speed agitation. Soft peaks indicate adequate aeration for dolloping over warm dishes, whereas over-whipping separates the emulsion into butter and whey. Refrigerating this topping until final assembly maintains its structural integrity against the heat radiating from the grilled components.
Visual cues serve as the primary indicator of doneness when cooking over a grill grate rather than a flat griddle. Golden-brown surfaces accompanied by defined char lines signal that the starches have gelatinized properly and sugars have caramelized. Removing the elements immediately upon reaching this color threshold prevents residual heat from pushing the brioche past optimal crispness into charring.
