Buzz
Brunch isn’t just about sustenance—it’s about savoring the experience. While booze is usually served in a glass alongside orange juice or a Bloody Mary, why not take it up a notch? You can enjoy your booze on your plate too—I love incorporating it into French toast.
There are several ways to do this. You can mix a few teaspoons (or tablespoons) of your favorite liquor directly into the custard, just as you would with vanilla extract, or enhance a topping like whipped cream or syrup with a spirited touch.
For a delicious boozy syrup, try the one from Binging with Babish. Babish blends half a cup of maple syrup with a tablespoon of butter and a quarter cup of rum, reducing it on the stove until it thickens into a rich syrup. (This method works with other spirits too.) If you prefer boozy whipped cream, simply add up to a tablespoon of alcohol per cup of cream, then whip until soft peaks form.
Many recipes recommend dark spirits for boozy French toast—The Kitchn, for instance, suggests Irish whiskey—but this is your chance to get creative with your bar cart. Rum is a solid pick, but pineapple rum adds a fun, tropical twist. French toast also makes an excellent base for those last drops of liqueur or amaro, especially hazelnut, chocolate, or fruit varieties. (Vanilla-infused Fernet would be a fantastic choice as well.)
Don’t hesitate to experiment by infusing multiple elements with your chosen spirit. Imagine bourbon-kissed French toast drizzled with cherry kirsch syrup or pineapple rum toast topped with coconut rum whipped cream. Let your creativity—and the liquor—flow freely. As long as you’re not dousing fluffy French toast in straight gin, it’s pretty hard to go wrong.
