Custard French Toast Grilled (Print View)

Creamy custard-dipped bread filled with melted cheese, pan-seared until golden and gooey.

# Components:

→ Custard Mixture

01 - 3 large eggs
02 - 3/4 cup whole milk
03 - 1/4 cup heavy cream
04 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
05 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
07 - 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)

→ Bread

08 - 8 slices brioche or challah bread, about 1/2-inch thick

→ Cheese Filling

09 - 8 slices Gruyère or sharp cheddar cheese, or a combination

→ For Cooking

10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
11 - 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola

# Preparation Steps:

01 - In a shallow bowl, whisk together eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, and optional Dijon mustard until well combined.
02 - Lay 4 slices of bread on a clean surface and top each with 2 cheese slices. Cover with the remaining bread slices to form sandwiches.
03 - Warm a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon oil, swirling to coat evenly.
04 - Briefly soak each sandwich in the custard mixture, coating both sides thoroughly without saturating the bread.
05 - Place custard-coated sandwiches in the skillet. Cook each side for 3 to 4 minutes, pressing gently, until golden brown and cheese is melted. Repeat in batches as needed, replenishing butter and oil.
06 - Transfer sandwiches to a cutting board and let rest for 2 minutes before slicing and serving warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like breakfast and lunch decided to become best friends, with crispy edges and a melty surprise inside.
  • The savory custard mixture (thanks to that sneaky Dijon mustard) transforms French toast into something totally unexpected.
  • You can have dinner on the table in 30 minutes, which means more time to actually enjoy eating it instead of cooking.
02 -
  • Thick bread slices are everything—thin bread disintegrates and defeats the whole purpose of having that custardy inside.
  • Don't skip the rest step; it's the difference between melted cheese staying put and immediately running all over your plate.
03 -
  • Make the sandwiches ahead and refrigerate them; just dip and cook when you're ready, which takes the morning stress down to zero.
  • If the outside is browning too fast, lower your heat and cook a bit longer—burnt crust with unmelted cheese inside is the only real mistake you can make here.
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