Jacques Pépin is one of my favorite chefs. He always creates simple but sophisticated recipes, perhaps that's why he is a genius. At the age of 80+, he is still sharing his knowledge about cooking via social media. 85 years old to be exact! And he still has fulla vibrant energy through and through. Mad respect.
It took me so long to share this recipe with you lovely people because this is so simple that I do not think it is a recipe. But then again, it will be neat to share. As I said earlier, Jacques Pépin's recipes are simple yet complex and this is all it is. Simplicity is indeed the ultimate sophistication.
As Jacques Pépin said that ice cream has all the ingredients that a classic French Toast has, so why not use it to speed up the process. And to serve the toasted bread on any remaining melted ice cream is just pure genius. That extra pinch of sugar adds another layer of grainy texture too. Perfect!
As a side note, since there are less than a handful of ingredients, use the best that you can find. There is a huge difference between a vanilla bean and a vanilla flavored ice cream. You can Google about how vanilla flavorings are being made, but be warned as you might lose your appetite.
Ingredients:
(Serve 1)
High Quality Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, 2 Scoops
Stale Bread, 1 Slice
Unsalted Butter, 2 TBSP
Granulated Sugar, Pinch
Equipment:
Skillet
Directions:
Melt the ice cream in a shallow bowl. I prefer to melt mine at room temperature. You can however use a microwave.
Once the ice cream has melted, place in the stale bread.
Let the bread soak in the melted ice cream for about 3 to 5 mins on both sides.
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.
Add in the soaked bread.
*Do not discard the leftover ice cream.*
Cook until the bottom is browned and crisp.
Flip and cook for another min.
Remove from heat and place the toast onto the melted ice cream
Sprinkle some sugar over the top.
Serve immediately.
