Ah, St. Patrick's Day. 

A day when a pinch is looming to those without green attire. 

A day when sipping a pint of green beer at 7 a.m. is acceptable. 

A day when the whole world adopts Irish traditions. 

The celebration of St. Patrick's Day is full of endless shenanigans. Between festive parades, dying rivers green and wearing t-shirts that say, "Kiss Me I'm Irish," it's enough to turn the non-Irish into full-on Irish. 

Now, you can't celebrate a holiday without discussing food. I am sucker for traditional Irish cuisine: corned beef and cabbage, soda bread, black pudding, and anything cooked with stout beer, of course. So, being that I'm 1/200th Irish, I thought throwing a new dish into the Irish melting pot would be a fun way to celebrate this grand holiday. 

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But on the morning of St. Paddy's Day, you have to celebrate in grand style. Which is why my french toast stuffed with chocolate ganache and drizzled with cola stout syrup will get you dancin’ an Irish jig. If this doesn't bring a little Irish magic to your day, then I'll pass you a green beer to wash it down. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

About the Author

Lauren Grier is the author behind the Climbing Grier Mountain (CGM). CGM is all about embracing curiosity. She thinks of her kitchen as a playground full of endless opportunities to make dishes that reflect life's experiences and shenanigans. Her recipes are fresh, flavorful and adventurous. 

Lauren is one of our food bloggers for The Opener, an exclusive, invite-only contributor network that will bring the best food, culture, and innovation writing to the pages of Coca-Cola Journey.

Recipe

Ingredients

Servings:
  • 8 Slice brioche bread, cut into 1-inch slices
  • 1.5 Cup whole milk
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 Tablespoon Irish liqueur
  • 3 large eggs
  • 0.25 Teaspoon kosher salt
  • 5 Tablespoon unsalted butter (4 for the toast; 1 for the ganache)
  • Whipped cream (to garnish)
  • Green sprinkles (to garnish)
  • .75 Cup heavy cream
  • 1 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 Bottle Coca-Cola (12 oz.)
  • 1 Bottle stout beer (15 oz.)
  • 0.5 Cup granulated sugar


Directions

  • Total Time: 1 hr 30 min
  • Prep Time: 30 min
  • Cook Time: 1 hr
  1. For the chocolate ganache: In a saucepan preheated to medium heat, add milk, 1 tablespoon butter, chocolate chips, and Irish liquor. Stir until melted and combined. Remove from heat and let cool. For the french toast: In a large casserole dish, add the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, Irish liquor and salt. Whisk until everything is combined. Take two slices of brioche and spread some of the chocolate ganache on top of both slices. Make a sandwich. Place one side of the sandwich into the french toast mixture. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. Flip and let the other side soak for another five minutes. Repeat with remaining three sandwiches. Preheat a skillet to medium heat. Add a tablespoon butter and let it melt. Add the french toast sandwich to the pan. Let it cook for a couple of minutes or until golden brown, and flip. Set sandwich aside on a plate until you've cooked the remaining sandwiches. For the cola stout syrup: In a medium saucepan, add Coca-Cola. Bring to a boil and then simmer until reduced and slightly thickened. In another saucepan, add stout and sugar. Bring to a boil and then a simmer until reduced and slightly thickened. Remove from heat. In a small pitcher, combine cola and stout. Stir to combine. To serve, place french toast on a plate. Dollop with whipped cream and drizzle cola stout on top. Garnish with green sprinkles if desired!