Brazilian French Toast (Rabanada) Recipe Rivals American French Toast for Best Ever Breakfast

In Brazil, Christmas morning means Papa Noel and presents for the kids and a platter of Rabanada for the adults. Rabanada, or Brazilian french toast, is delicious enough to be enjoyed year round. In Brazil, Rabanada is not served just for breakfast or brunch – it is often eaten as dessert or an afternoon snack.

What makes it different from good ol’ American french toast? A few things:

1. Rabanada is made with crusty bread, so it’s crunchy on the outside and soft inside.
2. The custard is made with sweet condensed milk, making the Brazilian French toast even creamier and more indulgent than the American version.
3. It is deep fried in vegetable oil instead of pan fried in butter.
4. The Brazilian French toast is rolled in cinnamon sugar before serving.
5. You can serve it as it is or top it with whipped cream, syrup, honey, fresh berries and/or vanilla ice cream. However, it is not common to serve it with syrup in Brazil, as it is already quite sweet. (But if you want to serve it with syrup, go for it!)

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Cuisine: Brazilian
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time:12 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 3 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
• pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1 loaf day-old French baguette (or any long crusty bread), sliced 1-inch thick
• vegetable oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Here's how to make it: 

1. Combine milk, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg and salt in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, until steaming (do not let it boil). Remove from heat, cover and let it come to room temperature. Once cool, stir in the vanilla extract.
2. Add the eggs to a bowl and whisk well.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, until a deep fry thermometer reads 360 degrees F.
4. While the oil is heating, soak bread slices (both sides) in the milk mixture and then in the eggs. Soak for several seconds in the milk.
5. Place the soaked bread slices in the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the fried bread and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the extra grease.
6. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl, mixing well. Roll the warm bread in the cinnamon sugar mix. Serve warm with toppings of your choice, such as whipped cream, vanilla ice cream and/or fresh berries.

Note on Bread: Nothing too crusty or it will be too hard! Also, just one day old will suffice; anything older than that and the bread will be too hard.

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