Coupetade A french Toast custard made with Brioche or Challa Bread

When life gets busy, my cooking practice and skill - I may say at times go out the window.  I love to cook for my family and I love pushing the limits on my cooking skill but I, even now, when life becomes so busy I can't think, have to put my cooking dreams literally on the back burner.

Yesterday I had a chance to dabble again in what I love to do - Cook! And it really was a joy! (dishes not so much but I love the cooking process)

The challenge last week on French Fridays with Dorie was a dish called Coupetade or French toast Custard made with a beautiful egg colored buttery bread easily found in France (Brioche), whole milk, vanilla, sugar and eggs and sometimes dried fruit.  

Long before mixers were invented, home cooks and pastry cooks alike used their hands and lots of hard work to blend this light and lovely egg dough bread called brioche.  Thank Goodness, I have a Kitchen Aid to blend this dough and do much of my work for me.  Brioche is worth the work and the wait. So I was excited to try Dorie's coupetade from her cookbook Around my French Table (page 419)

As part of my agreement with being on the weekly challenge with French Friday with Dorie I can not print Dories recipes but I have given you a link to a video of Julia Child and Nancy Silverton making their version of Brioche for you to have. (skip the advertising link)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er5uqAfZpLg

Dorie Greenspan's Coupetade was a hit in my house. (see picture below).  My family loved it, even my hamburger and hot dog loving dear husband! 

I served our custard with a bit of whip cream mixed with a touch of sugar and vanilla or you can serve it with warm maple syrup. 

This is not a low calorie dish but it is delicious!