French toast with sauternes custard, raisins & mandarin
Serves: 6

For the rehydrated raisins – place the sugar and water into a small pot and dissolve. Add the star anise, cloves and pink peppercorns, then place on a high heat on the stove. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat and leave the spices to infuse for 10 minutes. Place the raisins into a bowl and strain the sugar syrup over them. Set aside to soak.

For the Sauternes custard – place the caster sugar and cream into a medium-sized pot. Stir the sugar through the cream, add the vanilla and place on the stove over a medium heat. Bring the cream up to 80°C, being careful not to boil. Whisk the eggs and egg yolks together in a large bowl. Whisking continuously, add one ladle at a time of the hot cream to the egg mixture. Whisk in the Sauternes, pour back into the pot and place over a low heat. Continuously stir the mixture with a wooden spoon, ensuring the mix does not stay in one spot for too long as the eggs will cook. Thicken the custard for 20 minutes, keeping the temperature below 80°C, or until it coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and cover the surface with baking paper to prevent a skin from forming. Set aside.

To make the French toast – beat the eggs with the milk and soak the brioche slices on all sides. Place some vegetable oil in a large non-stick pan over a medium heat. Fill the pan with the egg-soaked brioche and season lightly with sea salt. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, then add the butter and cook until golden brown. Remove from the pan and repeat until all the brioche is cooked.

To serve – place some Sauternes custard into the bottom of each bowl. Add a few slices of French toast and top with the rehydrated raisins, mandarin pieces and hazelnuts.