I Tried the French Toast The Rock Eats Every Weekend

French toast is a bit of a unicorn. It’s one of those foods that’s almost too good to be true. How is it possible to take a piece of bread, dip it in an egg-milk concoction, cook it, and have it be so delicious? It just is and that’s why I am a French-toast believer and I’m not the only one. Hollywood superstar, The Rock (aka Dwayne Johnson), is a fan too and he’s blown up the internet with his favorite "Rock Toast" version created for him by his personal chef, Chef Rocky.

We’ll get into his version in a second. But first a bit of history on my relationship with French Toast.

It starts with my mom. If you asked her what her favorite breakfast food is, she would absolutely say that it’s French toast. She would often make it for my brother and me for breakfast. This was a pretty big deal since the usual morning meal was a bowl of cereal or a frozen, toasted waffle. She’d cook the French toast in butter and then we’d slather it with 100% not-pure maple syrup. It was flat, it was made with white bread and we loved it.

If you’re used to my mom’s style of French toast, well, The Rock’s version is the exact opposite. It’s rich. It’s decadent. It’s all the things that bring joy. Chef Rocky doesn’t share her recipe, but after some internet research, I made my attempt at recreating it. 

The recipe starts with Brioche bread, a solid choice for any French toast. Its buttery flavor and sturdy texture make it an awesome candidate for dipping and frying. I chose to slice the bread into 2-inch pieces as opposed to the 4-inch slices used in Chef Rocky’s version. Since a 4-inch slice would be half a loaf of Brioche, I felt like that was a good call. Next up, I made the custard which is a simple combination of eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. After a little bath in this mixture, I cooked the bread in butter (and a little oil—I’ll explain in a bit), for about 3 minutes on each and every side. While the bread was cooking, I whisked up the peanut butter-coconut maple syrup and some whipped cream. Finally, I plated my French toast and garnished it with the syrup, whipped cream, and toasted coconut.

I could hardly wait to dig in. It smelled awesome and since I like every single ingredient used, I knew it was going to be delicious. I don’t usually get that excited about French toast, but this was the best I’ve ever had. It was so rich and indulgent and it reminded me of the delicious bread pudding my dad used to make. Heaven on a plate!

Should you make it? Of course you should! It’s not complicated, but it does require a bit more finesse and work than regular French toast. Save it for the weekend or for a time when you want to impress someone. If they’re not impressed, well, you can question if they’re really worth knowing.

Tips for Rock Toast Success

1. Size matters. Since you are not The Rock, I would recommend slicing the bread into 2-inch slices. You can always have two slices, which would equal his one. I like the 2-inch slices because they’re more manageable for soaking and cooking. Bigger slices can’t absorb the custard mixture properly and a longer soaking time would only lead the bread to disintegrate.
2. Stale bread is cool. If you have the foresight, slice your bread the day before you plan on making this French toast. Stale bread, no matter which French toast recipe you choose, will always produce the best results. If you can’t wait (I know, I couldn’t either), then slice and toast as directed in the instructions within the recipe.
3. Monitor your heat. Every stove and every skillet is different, so don’t walk away from your French toast. If you notice things aren’t cooking fast enough, turn up the heat a bit. If things are starting to scorch, take your skillet off the heat and return it once it’s cooled off a bit before adjusting the temperature of your stove accordingly.
4. Cook it all over. Since these slices are so thick, it’s worth it to cook all sides, not just the cut sides. That extra firming-up all around will help the bread hold that delicious syrup and other toppings. 
5. Use butter and oil to cook it. It’s tempting to use nothing but butter to cook this French toast, but resist that temptation. The oil extends the life of the butter, preventing it from browning too quickly. Golden is the goal, not burnt.
   

The Rock's French Toast with Peanut Butter-Coconut Maple Syrup and Whipped Cream Recipe

Ingredients

For the French Toast:

• 1/2 (17.6-ounce) loaf Brioche bread
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

For the Peanut Butter-Coconut Maple Syrup: 

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup, warm
• 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
  
• 1 tablespoon coconut cream
• 1 or 2 teaspoons tequila (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  

For the Vanilla Whipped Cream: 

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For Garnishing: 

• 1/4 cup coconut shreds or chips, toasted*

Directions

1. Prepare the French toast: An hour before cooking, cut bread into two, 2-inch slices. Place on a wire rack to dry out. Alternatively, preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Line a small baking sheet with parchment and bake for 10 minutes, flipping the bread once halfway through cooking time. Transfer bread to a wire rack to cool.
2. Meanwhile, make the whipped cream: Whisk cream in a chilled glass or metal bowl with an electric mixer until frothy. Add sugar and vanilla; continuing to beat until soft peaks form. (Or use your preferred method to make whipped cream.)
3. Prepare the peanut butter-coconut maple syrup: Add peanut butter and coconut cream to warmed maple syrup, whisking to combine. Add tequila and salt to taste.
4. Make the French toast: Whisk eggs and sugar together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Add milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Let sit in mixture 4 minutes, flipping once. 
5. Heat the oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Once butter has melted, remove bread from custard using a slotted spatula, allowing excess liquid to drain, and add to the skillet. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes, then flip and cook the other side until golden brown, an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Cook remaining sides (bottom, top, and sides) until slightly firm, an additional 2 to 3 minutes for each side.
6. Transfer slices to a plate and top with peanut butter maple syrup, whipped cream, and toasted coconut. 

(Serves 2)

Tips

*To toast coconut: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and line a small baking sheet with parchment. Spread coconut out in an even layer and bake, stirring every few minutes, until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Can be made one day in advance. Cool completely and store in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place.

Not quite ready to eat your French toast? Keep it warm by placing it on a baking sheet in a 200-degree F (95-degree C) oven.