Rabanada (Brazilian French Toast)
Christmas morning means a platter of Rabanada in Brazil. But this unique French toast recipe is so delicious that you’ll want to make it all year long!
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole milk
- ½ cup sweet condensed milk
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1 loaf day old French baguette or Italian bread, sliced 1-inch thick
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Equipment
Instructions
- Combine milk, sweet condensed milk, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg and salt in a saucepan. Cook, over medium heat, until steaming. Do not let it boil. Remove from heat, cover and let it infuse and come to room temperature. Once cool, stir in the vanilla extract.
- Add the eggs to a bowl and whisk them well.
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven, over medium heat, until a deep fry thermometer reads 360ºF.
- While the oil is heating, soak both sides of each slice of bread in the milk mixture and then in the eggs. Don't be afraid to let it soak for several seconds in the milk, so it can absorb all the yumminess.
- Place the soaked bread in the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
- Remove the fried bread and place on a paper towel lined plate to absorb the extra grease.
- Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl, whisking well.
- Roll the warm bread on the cinnamon sugar.
- Serve warm!
Notes
Serving suggestions:
- Whipped cream
- Vanilla ice cream
- Fresh berries
Fun add-ins:
You can add other ingredients to the milk infusion, such as: fresh ginger, orange peel, cloves, etc. Once the milk has cooled, you can also add a splash of liqueur (hazelnut, orange and almond are my favorites!) or bourbon.Make ahead:
The best way to make ahead is to prepare the infused milk the night before and, once cooled, keep refrigerated until ready to make the rabanadas. If you absolutely must fry the rabanadas ahead of time, you can prepare them the day before and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Serve at room temperature or reheat in the oven until warm.Freezing:
Freeze the cooled fried French toast in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, tightly wrapped with plastic. Once frozen solid, transfer to a freezer bag. When ready to eat, place the frozen rabanada on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees F until warm, about 10 minutes.Nutrition
Calories: 337kcal, Carbohydrates: 58g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 77mg, Sodium: 425mg, Potassium: 264mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 41g, Vitamin A: 295IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 215mg, Iron: 1mg