If you’re tempted to replace the butter or heavy cream in this recipe, don’t; just make plain old pain perdu, or French toast. But if you’re ready for the creamiest, most custardy French toast you’ve ever tried, give these babies a go. This recipe comes courtesy of Jose Andres, a Washington, D.C.–based Spanish chef and good friend.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　3 eggs

　　1 cup milk

　　1 cup heavy cream

　　Pinch of salt

　　1/4 cup ground cinnamon

　　1/4 cup sugar

　　4 thick slices brioche or good-quality bread (8 slices if the loaf is small)

　　8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter

　　2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

　　

Step 1

Combine the eggs, milk, cream, and salt in a wide shallow bowl. Combine the cinnamon and sugar on a plate.

　　

Step 2

Soak a piece or two of bread in the egg mixture (do not crowd) while you put the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Turn the bread in the egg mixture so it soaks well; when the butter melts and its foam subsides, add the soaked bread, again without crowding (it’s likely that you’ll have to cook two batches).

　　

Step 3

Brown the bread nicely on both sides, for a total of 6 to 10 minutes, then transfer each piece in turn to the cinnamon sugar mixture; turn to coat both sides evenly and serve hot.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.