French Baked Toast with Eggs and Cream

If a better, more luxurious breakfast dish with 6 ingredients or less exists than this, I don’t know what it could possibly be.  It’s deceptively simple, especially for how absolutely divine it is.  Shh, no one else has to know! Despite the Fancy French name, just think of this as a savory French toast.  Fluffy brioche slices are toasted until golden, topped with an egg and baked in a puddle of cream, which thickens and concentrates into a rich sauce reminiscent of béchamel to accompany the bread slices on the plate.  The egg comes out perfectly cooked, with the whites set and a soft, runny yolk to mix with the cream sauce.  It all comes together on a sheet pan too, so there’s almost no clean up!  Sprinkle with chives and Piment d’Espelette for a little zing and spice, if desired.

I highly recommend making your own brioche to really go all out!  But to quote my girl Ina, store-bought is fine.You can easily scale this recipe up to serve a crowd, or make a single serving for just you on a cozy night in.  The final dish looks pretty enough to stand up next to anything on a brunch table. This recipe is inspired by a classic Elizabeth David cookbook from the ’50s, Summer Cooking.  She is well-known for introducing people to the lesser-known aspects of European cooking, including this dish Oeufs au Plat Bressane.  Hailing from the Bresse region of France (in a snowy region of the Alps…dreamy!), this is the kind of dish that could warm and sustain one.Speaking of cold and sustaining oneself, I’m finally getting over this killer cold I’ve had for over a week.  Anyone else out there struggling this winter?  This recipe might bring me back to life though.  Luckily, you can enjoy all the pictures without any accompanying germs (from me).  EWWW.I really hope this is the recipe you’re looking for to make on a lazy weekend in, or for your next brunch party!

French Baked Toast with Eggs and Cream (Oeufs au Plat Bressanne)

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• Author: Amanda
• Yield: 2 to 4 servings

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Description

Despite the seemingly fancy French name, just think of this as a savory French toast!  Toasted brioche slices are topped with an egg and baked in a puddle of cream that thickens into a béchamel-like sauce for dipping.  Top with fresh chives and a sprinkle of Piment d’Espelette if you dare.  Perfect for brunch parties and breakfast-for-ones alike!

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Ingredients

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• Four 3/4-inch-thick slices of bread (preferably brioche)*
• 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 large eggs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
• Piment d’Espelette, for sprinkling

*Try REALLY REALLY hard to get an even, level slice so your eggs have a flat landing zone and don’t slide off.

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°.  Lightly grease a large baking sheet with a little softened butter.
2. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.  Spread the remaining butter on both sides of each piece of bread.  Transfer 2 pieces at a time to the skillet and toast on both sides until golden brown.  Transfer the toasted bread to the prepared baking sheet.
3. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until simmering; season with salt and pepper.
4. Working one at a time, crack each egg into a small bowl and very gently land it on the center of each bread slice.  Continue with the remaining eggs.  Season with salt and pepper; drizzle about 1 to 2 tablespoons of cream over each egg.  Pour the remaining cream around the bread slices.  Transfer to the oven and bake for 12 to 13 minutes, until the whites are set but the yolks are still soft and wobbly.
5. Sprinkle with chives and Piment d’Espelette and serve!

Notes

Inspiration: French Baked Toast and Eggs in Cream on howsweeteats.com & French Baked Toast with Cream and Eggs on saveur.com

• Category: Breakfast, Eggs, French