This rich and custardy Challah French Toast is a standout from the upcoming cookbook Arthurs: Home of the Nosh, bringing brunch perfection straight from Montreal’s beloved Arthurs Nosh Bar. Crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, it’s a decadent twist on a classic that’s sure to impress.
Challah French Toast
Makes 8 slices (serves 4)
Ingredients:
- 8 (2-inch-thick) slices challah
- 3 egg yolks
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons (210 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup + 1/3 cup (200 ml) whole milk
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cinnamon stick or ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Clarified butter, for cooking
Directions:
- Place the challah slices in one layer on a sheet tray and leave in the fridge overnight, uncovered, to stale. Alternatively, you can dry them in the oven at low heat for 30 minutes.
- When you’re ready to make the french toast, preheat the oven to 325°F.
- In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until you reach the ribbon stage (when you lift up the whisk, the batter that falls from it should form a thick trail that rests on the surface of the batter for a few seconds before disappearing).
- In a saucepan, combine the heavy cream, milk, honey, vanilla, and cinnamon stick (if using ground cinnamon, add it after the liquids have been reduced in the next step).
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Once it scalds, whisk down the bubbles and lower the heat. Reduce the mixture by 20%, whisking often so it doesn’t burn. (If it does burn, do not scratch at the bottom. Instead, transfer the mixture to a separate pot and continue.) Remove the cinnamon stick (or, if using ground cinnamon, stir it in now).
- Very, very slowly, stream the hot liquid into the egg and sugar mixture, whisking constantly so the eggs don’t scramble. Allow to sit for 15 minutes so the air bubbles pop, then transfer to a large, shallow dish. Let cool slightly.
- Submerge the challah in the mixture. Let soak for about 3 minutes, flipping a few times.1 You know it’s done when some liquid comes out of the bread when you squeeze it.
- Slick a skillet, preferably cast iron, with clarified butter, and bring it to medium heat. Fry the challah on each side until golden brown.
- Finish the challah in the oven for 3 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when it looks fluffy and bounces back when you poke it.
Note: The fresher the bread, the longer you soak it. The staler the bread, the shorter you soak it. If your bread is basically breadcrumbs, or if you’ve dried it in the oven, simply dunk it and take it out, otherwise, it’ll fall apart.
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Arthurs: Home of the Nosh is the upcoming debut cookbook from Raegan Steinberg, Alexandre Cohen, and Evelyne Eng, hitting shelves on May 6, 2025, from Appetite by Random House. This vibrant, personality-packed collection brings the beloved Jewish comfort food of Montreal’s Arthurs Nosh Bar into home kitchens, with standout brunches, deli favourites, and Shabbat dishes inspired by the co-owners’ family roots and restaurant classics. With playful design, stunning photography by Karolina Jez, and unfiltered stories from the authors, it’s a joyful celebration of food, family, and noshing.
