The Little Foodie: French toast pairs well with eggnog for holiday dish

I can’t resist the seasonal eggnog when I see the festive cartons in the store. I always pick up a quart or two, knowing I can’t finish it all by myself. Drinking it straight is serious dedication, although I know someone who actually has taste-tested every brand of eggnog and rated them.

I’ve found many other ways to use it that add a little cheer to my life every December. I’ve put it in a glaze for pound cake and used it as the base of a cookie. As a coffee creamer, eggnog is a superior option. In French toast, it just makes sense.

Many people make the same mistake with French toast that they do with quiche: They add too many eggs. You don’t need a lot of eggs — they provide some velvety lift but are not the star of the show. Once you get too many eggs together you’re making omelet in a pie crust or omelet toast, which are not bad things, just different than the intention. It’s really the cream and milk, and in this case, the eggnog, that add that luxurious silky quality to a special breakfast.

Not surprisingly, I’m more keen on Christmas breakfast than Christmas dinner. I might even prefer Christmas breakfast to presents. My kids usually ask for crepes, but here’s your reminder that anything that can go in a crepe can go on top of French toast. I made a silky eggnog creme anglaise that I plan to use the next time I make this dish, because it’s only eggnog season once a year. Might as well go all in.

• Holiday Eggnog French Toast
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups eggnog
• Pinch nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla (bourbon-based if you have it)
• 1 loaf French bread

In large bowl, whisk eggs. Add eggnog, nutmeg and vanilla; whisk another 30 seconds.

Cut bread into 1-inch-thick slices, on bias so pieces are as long as possible. You can discard the ends or tuck them into edges of dish.

In large casserole pan, arrange slices to fit flat on bottom of pan. It’s OK if they’re squished a bit. Pour eggnog mixture over bread. Turn slices a few times to help them soak up liquid. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 6 to 10 hours, or overnight.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a sheet pan with nonstick spray or line with parchment. Using spatula, set bread slices on pan. Discard any batter left in the dish, but most of it should have soaked into bread.

Bake 20 minutes, turn slices and bake another 10 minutes. Serve with maple syrup, whipped cream, strawberries, and/or powdered sugar. Makes 10 slices.

Approximate nutritional information, per slice (not including toppings): 200 calories, 5 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 85 mg cholesterol, 350 mg sodium, 28 g carbohydrate, no fiber, 6 g sugar, 9 g protein

Mariko Jackson blogs about family and food at thelittlefoodie.com. Her column runs on the last Wednesday of the month. Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.