Brioche French Toast with Decadent Chocolate Mousse
About a year ago, I published a recipe for brioche French toast with hazelnut praliné spread, a wonderful dish that reminded me of my childhood in the Romema neighborhood in Haifa. When I arrived in Paris, I discovered that the dish I grew up with was just the tip of the iceberg of the French toast world, and that you can make it with various breads, using different techniques, and with countless toppings.
Interestingly, the name “French toast” isn’t actually used in France. The French name is Pain Perdu, literally “lost bread”, bread that has gone stale. In France, it’s customary to make Pain Perdu from day-old brioche, transforming it into a new creation called Brioche Perdue, so you don’t throw away brioche that’s no longer fresh enough to eat in its original form.
Staling the brioche is quite important because as it ages, it dries out, and only then can it properly absorb the custard that transforms it into this beloved treat. Of course, you can also make it with day-old challah or with Pain de Mie if you don’t have brioche on hand.
In France, pain perdu is traditionally served two ways, savory and sweet. In its sweet form, it’s served as breakfast, dessert, or as a snack at goûter time. If it’s served savory, you can make it with cheese or sausage, and it’s served as an appetizer or main course.
This time, an utterly decadent combination: brioche perdue and an airy, chocolatey mousse with touches of olive oil and excellent maple syrup. I created this recipe together with Estelle from @unrêve patisserie, and I have no doubt it’s going to be a star when we entertain friends at our little Parisian apartment. Note: you can turn making this dish into a social event where everyone assembles their own perfect indulgence.
Brioche French Toast with Decadent Chocolate Mousse
3-4 servings (depending on slice size)
Ingredients 
Brioche Dough: recipe inside. Use plain and uncoated brioche, as dry as possible.
Chocolate Mousse with Fleur de Sel:
50g milk
100g heavy cream
160g dark chocolate (70% or higher), chopped
45g egg yolks
100g egg whites
30g light brown sugar
3g Fleur-de-Sel
Custard for soaking the brioche:
150g eggs
250g whipping cream
75g whole milk
50g light brown sugar
Seeds from half a vanilla bean
For Caramelizing:
Light brown sugar
Butter (if choosing to caramelize in a skillet)
For garnish:
Quality olive oil
Pure maple syrup
Preparation
1. Chocolate Mousse with Fleur de Sel: In a small saucepan, bring milk and cream to a boil, pour over the chocolate, and whisk until completely melted.
2. Add the egg yolks and whisk vigorously so the yolks don’t scramble. Cool slightly to room temperature.
3. In a large mixer bowl, whip the egg whites and sugar until you achieve stiff peaks, but not overly stiff.
4. Transfer about one-third of the whipped whites to the chocolate mixture and mix to create a lighter, airier mass. Fold in the remaining whites into the chocolate mixture until you have a uniform, airy mousse.
5. Pour the chocolate mousse into a deep container, sprinkle with fleur de sel, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
6. Custard for soaking the brioche: In a large bowl, mix all the custard ingredients. It’s recommended to blend with an immersion blender to create a uniform mixture.
Assembly
7. Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F), line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
8. Dip the brioche slices into the custard so they absorb as much as possible. Arrange on the baking sheet.
9. Bake for about 10-11 minutes until the slices are lightly golden. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
10. Caramelizing: Arrange the brioche slices on serving plates, sprinkle sugar over the brioche and caramelize using a kitchen torch. Another option is to caramelize in a pan, melt a bit of butter in the pan, scatter a layer of brown sugar, place the brioche slice on the sugar, and caramelize for about a minute until the sugar caramelizes.
11. Place the brioche on a serving plate with the caramelized side up, add a generous amount of chocolate mousse on the slice, and drizzle with a little olive oil and maple syrup. Serve immediately.
*It’s recommended to assemble at the table so the mousse doesn’t melt, you can also let your guests assemble their own 🙂
Bon-Appétit
Sharon