Apple Crumble French Toast

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set that aside, and let’s get going!

Make the crumble: In a small mixing bowl, stir together the self-rising flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger. Drop in the cubed butter, and use a fork or pastry cutter to work it into the flour mixture. You’re looking for it to come together, similar to pie or biscuit dough, until it’s combined and slightly crumbly.

Spread the crumble topping out on your prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Pop it in the oven for 5-7 minutes, until it turns golden brown and smells like oatmeal cookies. Let it cool completely before you break it up into bite-sized pieces. Wait until it's cooled!

Now grab a medium saucepan and set it over medium heat. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle in the flour. Toss in your apple cubes, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and granulated sugar. Stir everything together until it forms a nice sauce—no big patches of flour or clumps of cinnamon.

Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for about 5 minutes. You should see the sauce thicken up into a caramel-like consistency. If it hasn’t thickened enough, give it another 2-3 minutes before adding the water. Once the water is in, stir until fully incorporated and cover again. Turn the heat down to medium-low, and let the apples simmer until they’re fork-tender, stirring every so often. When they’re ready, take the pan off the heat but keep it covered to stay warm.

While the apples are cooking, whisk up your french toast custard in a medium bowl. Start with the egg yolks, both sugars, vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, cinnamon, and flour. Mix it well, making sure there are no lumps, then whisk in the heavy cream and milk, and you’re all set with your custard. Set it aside while we prep the skillet.

Place a wide skillet (at least 10") over medium heat and let it warm up for a few minutes. Add a teaspoon each of oil and butter to the pan, swirling it around so it coats the surface. Dip a slice of croissant toast into the custard, submerge it completely, and then pull it out—don't soak it. Let the excess drip off, then add the toast to the pan. Press down, especially in the center, to make sure all of it touches the pan. Repeat until your skillet is full, but don’t overcrowd it.

Cook each slice for about 7 minutes per side, until they're golden brown and a little crisp around the edges. Transfer the slices to a warm oven to keep them toasty while you finish the rest of the toast. Lower and keep adjusting the heat as you go so you don't burn the toast, and add oil and butter to the pan as needed.

Serve by arranging a few slices of french toast overlapping on a plate, then spooning on a generous amount of apples, followed by a heaping portion of the crumble topping and a dollop of whipped cream. No syrup or powdered sugar is needed, but if you want to go right ahead! Dassit.