Coconut Macadamia French Toast Recipe

French toast, also known as pain perdu, was originally intended to be a thrifty way to use up bread that's going stale. In fact, slightly stale bread works quite well when it comes to French toast. Whether or not it's stale, though, you'll want a nice thick bread like brioche or challah, which is what recipe developer Jessica Case suggests using in this dish she calls, "A delicious twist on an old classic." As for the twist, that would be the coating made from shredded coconut and crushed macadamias. This mixture, Case says, "gives this French toast a crispy crunchiness to the outside and takes it to a new level."

While this French toast is sweet enough to stand on its own, you could certainly serve it with maple syrup to make it even sweeter. Case also suggests garnishing it with lime zest as well as chunks of fresh pineapple in order to complement the coconut flavoring. This classic piña colada pairing will, in Case's words, make for "a nice tropical flavor."

The base of this French toast is brioche or challah bread. You'll be dipping it in a mixture of eggs, coconut milk, whole milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla, then coating it with coconut flakes and crushed macadamia nuts. You're also going to need some butter to grease the frying pan.

If your loaf is not pre-sliced, cut it into 8 slices with each one being about an inch thick. Consider leaving the rounded ends of the bread for another purpose, since symmetrical slices cook more evenly.

Next, take a shallow bowl, high-sided plate, or pie pan, and mix the coconut and crushed macadamia nuts together using a whisk. Use a similarly-sized dish in which to beat the eggs with both kinds of milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.

Melt some butter in a non-stick frying pan or griddle. Take a slice of bread and dip it in the egg mixture on both sides, then into the coconut/nut mixture on just one side. Add as many dipped slices that you can fit in your pan without overcrowding.

Cook the bread for 3 to 4 minutes on the side with the coconut and macadamia nuts to get a nice caramelization effect. Lift it up to take a peek and when it looks golden brown, flip it over, and cook it for 3 to 4 minutes on the other side.

Once that first batch of French toast is done, it's time to start the whole process all over again with a new slice of bread. It may take some time to cook all 8 pieces, but great French toast requires great commitment. If you don't need all 8 pieces, though, feel free to cut the recipe (and the time commitment) in half.

Once your French toast is done, serve it up with syrup, powdered sugar, extra nuts, extra coconut, pineapple, lime zest, or any other toppings you like. You could maybe even use a drizzle of chocolate syrup to make it into a Macadamia Joy (which isn't a real candy bar, but definitely should be).