It can divide families as deeply as political arguments. There are those who, like me, can hardly wait to find it in the grocery stores as soon as the fall air turns crisp with a little bite. Then there are those who loathe the sight and smell of it, unconvinced and unenticed by the addition of a lil’ nip.
We’re talkin about EGGNOG.
It may remind you of holidays with relatives who had a tad too much at every past holiday dinner, resulting in some fun ‘drunk Uncle’ real-life conversations. Or perhaps the raw egg-ness or warm mayonnaise-esque texture turns your stomach at the mere thought of a cup, and you anxiously avoid the humongous punchbowl overflowing with it at grandma’s house.
But fear no more – I’ve found a way to unite the lovers and the haters, and a way to get rid of that gallon of eggnog that nobody (but you and me!) wants. Treat yo’self with this adult french toast that will tickle your tastebuds and warm your cold soul.
JK. Nothing will warm your cold soul.
But this brunch treat will definitely tickle your tastebuds!
The beauty of this recipe is that, so long as the alcohol in your eggnog isn’t toooooo spiked, you’re safe to feed this to kids too. And depending on how many sweets they’ve had, it might be a good ideas to find as many recipes with brandy as possible for them to eat.
JK AGAIN! I am not encouraging you to give alcohol to kids. I am a strong proponent of PARENTS finding a little solace in a nip or two. Jus’sayin.
Lastly, even though I am not including a homemade eggnog recipe (which I have somewhere, I’ll have to dig it up from my family recipes), this recipe is actually best with the good ol’ store-bought eggnog in the dairy section.
You may just want to buy the eggnog not for your next family dinner but rather for this breakfast/brunch ‘treat yo’self’ treat. Let me hear you HOLLA FOR THE CHALLAH!!!
Spiked Eggnog Challah French Toast
Ingredients
– 4 large eggs
– 1 ¼ c eggnog
– 2 TB brandy (bourbon or rum work too)
– 1 tsp cinnamon
– ¼ tsp nutmeg
– 1 tsp vanilla
– ½ tsp kosher salt
– 1 medium challah or brioche loaf (about 8+ inches long)
– unsalted butter
– powdered sugar to taste
Directions
1. In a large shallow bowl, whisk the eggs, eggnog, brandy, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and salt together until well combined.
2. Slice the challah loaf into 2 inch wide slices. If you’re making french toast sticks, cut each slice into 2 inch sticks. Soak as many challah slices or sticks as will fit in the eggnog mixture for about 5 minutes, turning the slices or sticks a couple times to ensure all sides are coated.
3. Heat about 1-2 TB unsalted butter over medium heat just until the butter is melted and starts to bubble. Place as many soaked challah pieces into the pan, and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until they’ve browned, careful not to let them burn. Place the cooked challah pieces on a sheet pan and place in the oven to keep warm until they are served.
4. Sprinkle powdered sugar as desired over the french toast, and serve with maple syrup, jam and fruit.
