Buzz
French Toast is a delicious and traditional breakfast dish made with sliced bread, eggs, milk, and a few sweet ingredients. The secret to making great French Toast is ensuring the bread is crisp and fluffy. The batter should be prepared properly, and the bread should be cooked at the right temperature for a golden finish with fully cooked eggs. Originally, this dish was a way to repurpose stale bread, so if you have leftover bread at home, this is the perfect time to make use of it. French Toast is quick and easy to make, and with the right technique, you'll have the perfect dish in no time.
Ingredients
- 8 slices of bread
- 4 large eggs
- 10 ml milk
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon (2.5 g) ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup (30 g) flour (optional)
- ¼ cup (30 g) sugar (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon (1.5g) salt (optional)
- Butter or non-stick cooking spray
Serves 4-8 portions
Steps
Mixing the Batter
Crack 4 eggs into a large bowl. The eggs will blend more easily if you allow them to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before cracking them.
Add milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon to the bowl. Measure 10 ml of milk and pour it into the egg mixture. Then, mix in 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of vanilla extract, followed by 1 teaspoon (2.5 g) of ground cinnamon. It's important to add these ingredients slowly, as the egg whites need to combine with each ingredient gradually.
- Use whole milk for a richer flavor, if desired. The higher the fat content in the milk, the thicker and more flavorful the batter will be.
- If you like it sweeter, feel free to add ¼ cup (30 g) of sugar or a bit of honey to the mix.
- Adding ¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) of salt can help smooth out the mixture.
Whisk the mixture with a fork or whisk. Use a fork or whisk to stir rapidly in a circular motion, being careful not to spill or splash. The egg yolks will break up quickly, so focus on blending the ingredients together.
- Once whisked, the batter should be smooth with a uniform light brown color.
- Make sure to whisk the eggs thoroughly to avoid any streaks of egg left in the mixture.
Add flour to thicken the batter and make the bread fluffier, if desired. Stir in ¼ cup (30 g) of flour, just like the other ingredients. You don’t need to break up all the clumps of flour, but aim for a smooth and consistent mixture.
Flour is not mandatory, but many restaurants use flour to enhance the texture of the bread. This helps the French Toast become puffier and less likely to turn soggy.
Toasting the Bread
Place a cast iron skillet on the stove if you're using a stovetop. Choose a large enough skillet to comfortably fit two slices of bread. If you're making multiple large batches, a wider grill pan might be a more effective choice.
Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of butter or spray non-stick oil into the pan. Put about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of butter in the center of the pan and let it melt evenly throughout. If you're using non-stick spray, lightly coat the bottom of the pan.
- If you're using a grill pan, non-stick spray is a more suitable option.
- Butter enhances the flavor of the French Toast, while non-stick spray helps reduce the amount of fat in this already indulgent dish.
Set the stove to medium-high heat or preheat the grill to 177°C. Wait for the skillet or grill to heat up properly. If you're using butter, ensure it melts completely before moving on to the next step.
Reduce the heat to medium-low once the butter has melted. If you're using butter, the pan will be ready once the butter has fully melted. For an electric grill, keep an eye on the temperature and wait until the grill has preheated to the correct setting before toasting the bread.
- If you cook on high heat, the bread may burn on the outside while remaining raw inside.
- If the heat is too low, you can increase it slightly, as long as it doesn’t exceed medium heat.
Dip two slices of bread at a time into the egg mixture. You can use your hands to dip the bread into the mixture or tongs if you prefer not to get the batter on your hands. Quickly dip each slice a few times to coat it with a thin layer of batter, or soak the bread for 30 seconds to 5 minutes, flipping the bread halfway through the soaking time.
- Soaking the bread is better for older bread with thicker, crusty sides. Thin sandwich bread may become soggy if soaked for too long. About 30-60 seconds of soaking is perfect for sandwich bread.
- Don’t soak the bread too long, as it will become soggy and fall apart when toasted.
- If you’re making large batches, use a baking sheet instead of a large bowl.
Place each dipped slice of bread into the hot pan. You can use your hands or tongs to carefully place both slices onto the pan or grill. Gently lay the bread slices onto the hot surface to avoid splattering butter onto yourself.
Toast the bread for 1-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Wait for the bread to turn golden on each side before flipping it with a spatula. Check to make sure there isn’t any uncooked egg oozing out to ensure the bread is fully cooked.
- You can sprinkle sugar onto the bread in the pan before flipping it. This will create a crispy caramelized layer on the surface of the bread. However, if you’ve already added sugar to the batter, the bread might become too sweet.
Serving French Toast
Remove the toast from the pan and place it on a serving plate. Use tongs, a spatula, or a fork to lift the toasted bread out of the pan and onto a plate. Serving French toast while it's hot enhances the flavor of the eggs, preventing it from cooling down or becoming soggy.
Try serving it with ricotta cheese for a savory option. Ricotta is a spreadable cheese that works well in both savory and sweet dishes, making it an ideal choice for French toast. It offers a fresh flavor on the toast that pairs wonderfully with fruits as well as savory items like bacon or sausage.
Add fruit on top of the toast to enhance the flavor. Alongside other toppings, fresh fruit slices, berries, jam, and hot apple sauce are fantastic accompaniments for French toast. These toppings work for any meal of the day. Combine with cheese for a savory option or with syrup and sugar for a sweet treat.
- Sliced strawberries, apple slices, raspberries, blueberries, and cranberries all complement French toast beautifully.
Sprinkle cinnamon or powdered sugar on the toast. These ingredients pair well with any sweet toppings you might choose and are essential for French toast. Use a small amount if you're serving it with syrup or another sweet topping unless you're preparing a dessert.
- Cocoa powder adds a chocolatey flavor that goes perfectly with fruit.
Spread chocolate on the French toast. A touch of chocolate spread on the bread turns French toast into a delightful dessert. Use a knife to spread the chocolate just like you would butter, turning each slice into a sweet, delicious topping for your French toast.
- Try using hazelnut spread with chocolate for a different flavor twist.
Pour syrup over the French toast for a traditional breakfast flavor. Whether you prefer maple syrup or simple sugar syrup, both are delicious sweet additions to French toast. Serve the syrup on the side so everyone can decide how much they want to use.
- Try using honey as an alternative sweetener. Its sweetness and distinct flavor will bring a refreshing taste to your French toast.
Tips
- Cinnamon roll bread from the bakery section of the supermarket also makes fantastic French toast.
- Allow the batter to sit for 3 minutes before mixing to let the cinnamon soak in and create a deeper flavor.
- You can also try making stuffed French toast. Fillings can include jam and cream cheese or banana and peanut butter.
- Thicker breads are better for soaking in the egg mixture. Look for varieties like Texas toast.
- Leftover egg mixture can be used to make scrambled eggs or fried eggs.
Warning
- Always cook French toast thoroughly. Undercooked eggs could make you feel unwell.
Things You Will Need
- Large bowl
- Pan
- Stove or grill
- Fork or whisk
- Cooking spatula
- Plate
