Pain Perdu

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14 ounces brioche, ends discarded, cut into eight I-inch-thick slices

3 cups warm half-and-half (80 degrees)

6 large egg yolks

6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon table salt

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Chantilly Creme

1 cup heavy cream, chilled

3 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch table salt

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1. For the pain perdu Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Place bread on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Bake bread until almost dry throughout (center should remain slightly moist),

   about 20 minutes, flipping slices halfway through baking. Remove bread from rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees and return sheet with wire rack to oven.

2. Whisk warm half-and-half, egg yolks, sugar, melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl until well combined. Transfer custard to 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Working with 2 slices at a time, soak bread in custard until saturated but not falling apart, 15 seconds per side. Using firm slotted spatula, transfer bread to second sheet or large platter, allowing excess custard to drip back into dish. Repeat with remaining 6 slices.

3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Using slotted spatula, transfer 4 slices soaked bread to skillet and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side (if bread is browning too quickly, reduce temperature slightly). Transfer pain perdu to prepared rack in oven to keep warm. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon butter and remaining 4 slices soaked bread.

4. For the chantilly creme Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. (Chantilly creme can be refrigerated in fine-mesh strainer set over small bowl and covered with plastic wrap for up to 8 hours.) Serve pain perdu with chantilly créme.

Pain Perdu with Brown Sugar and Bourbon Chantilly Créme

Substitute light brown sugar for granulated sugar. Add 1 tablespoon bourbon

to mixer with cream. Stir up to 1 additional tablespoon bourbon into

chantilly créme to taste.

Pain Perdu with Lemon Chantilly Créme

Add 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 teaspoon juice to mixer with cream.