Step 1 - Let’s macerate the berries to give time for their juices to settle in. Add the pint of berries and 3 tbs of sugar to your Medium Mixing Bowl. Give them a stir and let the bowl sit on the counter while you get ready to make the French Toast batter.

Step 2 - Add 2 cups of milk, 3 eggs, 4-5 tbs “Something Sweet”, half a can of condensed milk, and vanilla extract (see the next step if you’re using vanilla bean) to your Large Mixing Bowl. Give those ingredients a whisk (or use your fork) and place that mixing bowl in the fridge for the time being.

Step 2.5 - Up close and personal, so you can see my well used cutting board! So, for the vanilla bean. You want to use the tip of a sharp knife to slice down the middle of the bean, being careful not to slice completely though. Then, use the tip of that sharp knife to scrape the vanilla beans bits from the inside. You want the black vanilla, not the brown outer skin of the vanilla bean pod. Use your fingers (or another knife) to remove the vanilla bean and add it to the Large Mixing Bowl with all other ingredients.

Step 3 - Back to your berries. Now, we’re going to smash them. It’s best to do so using a fork. Give a taste. Add more sugar if you’d like. Feel free to add some lemon juice and/or zest for additional flavor or tartness.

Step 4 - Slice your loaf of Brioche into 8 equal sized pieces. They will be about 1/1.5 inches thick.

Step 5 - Turn your stove to medium heat. Add 2tbs of butter and a drizzle of cooking oil to your frying pan. It’s important to add oil as well to prevent the butter from burning.

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Once you start frying your french toast, you can add more butter and/or oil as needed.

Step 6 - While the butter and oil heats, time to soak your Brioche in the French Toast Batter. Give your batter a whisk to make sure nothing has settled to the bottom and let each side soak in the batter for about 30 seconds each. You want the Brioche to now feel soft/squishy like a sponge.

Step 7 - Fry the french toast on each side for about 2 to 3 minutes. You want the color to be golden brown and for the batter to have dried up a bit. You can use your fingers to gently press on the french toast to see how it feels. It should no longer have that squishy feeling.

If your color is nice and golden brown, but you feel that your french toast is still too wet on the inside, you can fry all french toast, line them on a baking sheet, and put them in the oven on 350 degrees for about 10 to 15 min. That process will help to dry up the french toast, while maintaining the color.

Step 8 - Plate the french toast, sprinkle a little bit of “Something Sweet” on top, spoon your macerated berries on top, and enjoy!

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Extra macerated berries? Scroll down for some ideas…