Pistachio Cream Brioche French Toast

Topping the French toast with Blackcurrant jam.

5 from 2 votes

Pistachio Cream Brioche French Toast

Imagine fluffy brioche, filled with pistachio cream, soaked in custard, and cooked until golden brown. This Pistachio Cream Brioche French Toast is the most delicious breakfast, brunch, or pudding.

Prep Time30

Cook Time10

Total Time40

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Italian American

Servings: servings

Author: Margie Nomura

Ingredients

For the pistachio cream:

5.25 oz raw pistachios shelled and unsalted
6 fl oz full-fat milk about 3/4 cup; divided
1 tbsp confectioners' sugar (icing sugar)
1 oz unsalted butter about 2 tbsp
3.5 oz good-quality white chocolate

For the brioche French toast:

1/2 brioche loaf cut into 3 thick 5cm slices
6 tbsp pistachio cream approximately
3 large eggs
2 fl oz full-fat milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 oz unsalted butter approximately; about 2 tbsp

To serve:

3 tbsp blackcurrant jam
3 dollops of softly whipped cream
Confectioners' sugar (icing sugar) for dusting

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the pistachio cream:

I always start by boiling the shelled pistachios for 3 minutes to soften them. Then drain them and set them on a clean tea towel to dry.
Then use the towel to rub the pistachios to loosen the skins. You want to separate the pistachios from the skins. This step does take a little time, but I promise it’s worth it. If you don’t remove the skins, your pistachio cream won’t be lovely and vibrant green and will taste slightly more bitter, not in a bad way; it’s still good! But this way is really, really good. Once you’re done, pop the pistachios into a food processor and discard the skins.
Add the confectioners' (icing) sugar and just a splash of milk. Blend for around 5 minutes until the pistachios turn into a smooth pistachio paste, scraping down the sides every minute or so. Be patient – to begin with, it will resemble breadcrumbs. Eventually, it will turn into a paste – this is important.
Meanwhile, pop the butter, white chocolate, and the rest of the milk into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Allow to melt slowly, stirring every now and then. Once melted, remove from the heat.
Scoop the pistachio paste into a blender and then pour in the melted white chocolate mixture. Blend until extra creamy and silky smooth.
Pour into a piping bag (or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off) and set aside.

Make the French toast:

Cut a slit into the bottom of each 2-inch (5 cm) thick slice of brioche to create a pocket inside - go as far as you can, although not all the way through to the other side. Pipe in a generous amount of the pistachio cream. You want about 2 tbsp in each slice. Use a knife (and gravity) to gently encourage the pistachio cream to evenly distribute inside the brioche - you don’t want it all bunched in one place. Set aside.
In a baking dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until combined. Dip the filled brioche slices into the egg mixture, turning to coat on all sides. Take care, as they will absorb the egg mixture very quickly, so don’t let them soak too long, or they will go soggy.
Place a medium-sized non-stick pan over a low-medium heat. Add a knob of butter and swirl to coat the base of the pan, making sure it is all covered with a layer of melted butter. Once the butter is foaming, add a slice of eggy brioche. Cook gently for about 3-4 minutes - or until golden brown. Don’t be tempted to increase the heat or else the outside will overcook before the inside is ready. Use a spatula or large palette knife to carefully flip over and continue to cook on the other side until equally golden. Repeat with the remaining slices.
Meanwhile, gently warm the blackcurrant jam in a small saucepan or in small bursts in the microwave.

To serve:

Pop a slice of Pistachio Cream Brioche French Toast onto a plate. Top with a dollop of gently whipped cream and a spoonful of warm blackcurrant jam. Dust generously with sieved confectioners' (icing) sugar and enjoy!

Notes

Brioche: If you can’t find unsliced brioche, use 6 slices of pre-sliced brioche and make 3 sandwiches. You will need to spread the pistachio cream instead of piping.

Pistachio cream: You can swap the pistachio cream for all sorts of sweet spreads. Lotus Biscoff Spread and Nutella are both delicious.

Jam: Swap the blackcurrant jam for whatever flavor you like. Alternatively, serve with a fruit compote or coulis. A handful of fresh berries also tastes delicious.

Serving suggestions: You can swap the softly whipped cream for squirty cream or a dollop of clotted cream. Alternatively, mascarpone or crème fraîche work well.

Make ahead: The pistachio cream can be made up to 1 week in advance. Simply pop it into a jar or sealed container and store in the fridge. The brioche French toast is best served straight away.

Nutrition