In the world of breakfast foods, classic French toast is a blank palette that can be painted with sweet, sticky syrups, ripe, sweetened fruits, or peppery bacon and lovely fried eggs—it’s all good. However, the next time you’re in the mood for this familiar dish, consider serving this breakfast treat with a fabulous raspberry coulis.

Making this delicious take on French toast is not difficult. This version calls for two varieties of ripe raspberries, syrup, lemon juice, and a little flour, all cooked together into a slightly thickened, syrupy compote. The compote can be used to top any number of cakes, ice creams, or, as in this case, a nice, thick, perfectly browned slice of custardy French toast.

Classic French Toast with Raspberry Coulis

Total preparation time: 30 minutes

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Note: The coulis will need to be strained through a fine mesh sieve to remove the countless tiny seeds. Marion Berries may be used in place of black raspberries.

Ingredients for Raspberry Coulis:

1 cup (ripe) red raspberries, rinsed and hulled

1 cup (ripe) black raspberries, rinsed and hulled

1½ tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup simple syrup

½ tablespoon all-purpose flour in 3 tablespoons cold water (to form a slurry/thickener)

Ingredients for Classic French Toast:

1 loaf unsliced French bread (8 slices needed)

3 eggs

1 cup half-and-half

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons melted butter

Optional topping:

1 cup cultured sour cream

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon light brown sugar

Combine these ingredients in a small bowl and stir a few times. Cover and reserve.

Directions:

It is imperative to make the raspberry coulis a few hours, if not a day, ahead so it has time to thicken and the flavor can develop fully.

Reserve a few red and a few black raspberries for garnish.

Combine the remaining berries, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat and bring to a slow simmer. Cook gently until the berries are soft—between 8 and 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the flour and water to make slurry. Pour this into the simmering berries and stir gently. Cook until a soft sauce forms—around 2½ minutes.

Place a mesh sieve over a medium-sized bowl. Pour the raspberry coulis mixture into the sieve and gently press the contents, using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Throw away the seeds.

Cover this bowl of beautiful raspberry coulis tightly with cling wrap and store in the refrigerator until needed.

Directions to complete the dish:

Combine the eggs, half-and-half, and vanilla in a shallow, rectangular dish (for ease of dipping/soaking the bread.) Whisk together until eggs are completely incorporated into the milk.

Cut French bread into 1½-inch-thick slices. Place each slice into the egg mixture, allowing each slice to sit in the mixture for one minute before flipping. Soak the second side.

Place at once onto a hot, buttered griddle and cook until nicely browned on each side. Drizzle with melted butter.

To serve:

Place 2 slices of hot, buttered French toast on each serving plate, top with ¼ to ½ cup of the coulis and serve with a dollop of sweetened sour cream. Garnish each plate with several reserved whole berries.

Combining the two species of raspberries in this recipe yields a dark, ruby-red sauce that will leave even the most well-seasoned cooks impressed.