THE BEST FRENCH TOAST I'VE EVER MADE
I truly thought I did not like French Toast. (It's so...eggy?) But all that has changed now. I've found the secret methods to the BEST French toast of your life. I will show you how to make this easy recipe that uses all egg yolks, super thick brioche or challah bread, with caramelized edges for a magical sugary crunch. It is the ONLY way I will eat French toast from now on!
Provided by Karen
Categories Breakfast
Time 25m
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Choose your bread. If you like very thick french toast (you should try it at least once!), find a local bakery and get yourself a loaf of challah or brioche bread (buy a day-old loaf if they have it.) I don't like using French bread or the regular loaves you find in the deli at the grocery store; the crusts turn out too chewy. You want a nice soft edge. If you can't get to a bakery, head to the grocery store and buy the thickest and softest white bread you can find. (3/4 inch or thicker.) Texas toast is great. I like to use the Artesano brand of bread; they sell a pre-sliced brioche loaf that is pretty legit. But their white bread is also nice and soft. See photos.
- Slice your bread with a serrated knife if you are working with a whole loaf. See photos. I like my slices to be about 1 and 1/4 inch thick, which feels a little ridiculous, but trust me. You can even go up to 2 inches if you're feeling wild. Don't slice thinner than 3/4 inch.
- Set your bread aside, spread out so that it gets a little dried out. Day old bread is great for French toast. In France, they call this dish "Lost Bread" because it's what you make when you have dried out bread to use up. (I experimented with toasting the bread first, but thought it dried out the finished product too much.)
- Make the egg mixture. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl,* whisk together 3 egg yolks, 1 and 1/2 cups heavy cream* or half & half, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg, if you like. Whisk until it is completely smooth and the cinnamon is well incorporated.
- Pour the mixture into a shallow dish like a pie plate, or an 8x8 inch pan. Place a slice of bread in the mixture and let it sit there for 10 to 20 seconds. How long you soak it depends on how thick your bread is. It should be soft when you touch it, but still hold itself together. Flip the bread and soak the other side. You can start cooking the French toast right away, or you can place the soaked bread on a baking sheet or plate while you finish soaking all of them.
- Cook the French toast: Heat an electric griddle or large 12 inch skillet over medium low heat. When it is hot, add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or any oil with a high smoke point.) Swirl it around until the pan is coated. Place the French toast on the pan with 1 to 2 inches in between each slice of bread. Cook on medium low heat for 3-5 minutes. The timing depends on your oven or griddle, so stick around and keep an eye on it.
- Caramelize. When the bottom of the first side is LIGHT brown (we are going to cook this side twice), sprinkle about a half tablespoon granulated sugar on the top (raw) side of the bread. Flip the toast, sugar side down, and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. (Be sure to swirl the pan so oil re-coats it, or add more butter/oil if necessary). Then, sprinkle another half tablespoon of sugar on the cooked side, and flip it over again so that it lightly caramelizes the first side.
- Keep your toast warm. Preheat your oven to the "keep warm" setting, about 170 degrees F. As you finish frying the toast, transfer each one to a wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Keep toast warm in the oven until ready to serve.
- I honestly don't even put maple syrup on caramelized French toast. I feel like it doesn't really need it, plus it makes the caramel edge not as crunchy. I like to eat it plain, or with a little jam. But maple syrup is really delicious if you are in the mood! A sprinkle of powdered sugar and a berry garnish never hurt either.
- Keep leftovers stored covered in the fridge. It will keep for 3-5 days. You can reheat leftovers in the microwave or the toaster. Or heat your oven to 350 and heat the toast all together on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, until the toast is warmed, about 5-10 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 slice, Calories 813 kcal, Fat 49 g, SaturatedFat 27 g, Cholesterol 342 mg, Sodium 667 mg, Carbohydrate 77 g, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 21 g, Protein 15 g, TransFat 1 g, UnsaturatedFat 18 g
FRENCH TOAST
To make the best French toast, Alton Brown uses day-old bread and honey instead of sugar in this recipe from Good Eats on Food Network.
Provided by Alton Brown
Categories main-dish
Time 34m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, honey, and salt. You may do this the night before. When ready to cook, pour custard mixture into a pie pan and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Dip bread into mixture, allow to soak for 30 seconds on each side, and then remove to a cooling rack that is sitting in a sheet pan, and allow to sit for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch nonstick saute pan. Place 2 slices of bread at a time into the pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on rack in oven for 5 minutes. Repeat with all 8 slices. Serve immediately with maple syrup, whipped cream or fruit.
THE BEST FRENCH TOAST
Our favorite bread for making French toast is pain de mie for its neutral flavor and spongey texture, which helps it absorb the egg mixture without falling apart. It's sometimes hard to find, so you can substitute brioche for a richer and more decadent toast or challah for an all-purpose choice. Many French toast recipes call for stale bread, but we lightly toast fresh bread slices in the oven instead. We like a slightly longer soak time on the bread to give it a more custard-like texture. If you like your French toast on the drier side, cut the soak time down to 30 seconds per side.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 1h15m
Yield 8 slices
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees F.
- Cut the bread into 8 slices about 3/4-inch thick. Arrange them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet (it's ok if they overlap). Bake, flipping them halfway through, until very lightly golden on both sides, about 12 minutes. Let them cool on the baking sheet until ready to use. Reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees F.
- Vigorously whisk the eggs in a large bowl until blended and no streaks of whites remain. Add the half-and-half, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg and whisk until completely incorporated. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish.
- Gently press 2 slices of the toasted bread into the custard. Turn to coat and then gently press down on the bread until you feel it start to soak up the custard-this is key for a luscious, moist texture. Let the bread soak for about 1 minute per side; it should feel heavy but still hold its shape and not fall apart.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Cook 2 of the soaked bread slices until they are a deep golden brown, the custard has set and the insides are cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. The center of the bread will puff slightly while the crust will contract, making it look puckered. You may have to alternate between medium and medium-low heat if the bread browns too quickly or not fast enough. Transfer the slices to a rimmed baking sheet and hold in the warm oven. Repeat with the remaining butter and bread.
- Serve the French toast with butter, maple syrup and a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar.
FRENCH TOAST
Eggy bread, pain perdu or French toast - this classic breakfast dish has plenty of names and just as many options for toppings. We like it with fresh berries
Provided by Elena Silcock
Categories Breakfast, Brunch
Time 20m
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Lay the brioche slices in a single layer in a shallow dish and pour the egg mixture over them. Allow to soak for 2-3 mins, then carefully turn over and soak for 2 mins more.
- Heat 1 tbsp of the vegetable oil and butter in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat until foaming. Carefully lift 2 slices of the soaked brioche out of the dish and add to the frying pan. Fry for 3 mins on each side, until golden and crisp, then place on a wire rack over a baking tray in a warm oven while you repeat with the remaining slices.
- Serve dusted in icing sugar and scattered with fresh berries, if you like.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 401 calories, Fat 29 grams fat, SaturatedFat 12 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 26 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 7 grams sugar, Fiber 1 grams fiber, Protein 9 grams protein, Sodium 0.8 milligram of sodium
STUFFED FRENCH TOAST (COOK'S ILLUSTRATED)
I haven't tried it yet, but I trust these folks completely. It's from The America's Test Kitchen Cookbook. They said NOT to use lowfat or skim milk. I guess it's the least we can do for their not asking for half-and-half for dipping. Obviously, it's good served with maple syrup, but they also suggest serving with just a pat of butter and a sprinkle of confectioner's sugar. (Yeah....pass that syrup.) This recipe differs from other recipes in that it has a pure cream cheese filling with no fruits or chocolate added in. Might be best for picky eaters.
Provided by Debbie R.
Categories Breakfast
Time 1h
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Microwave the cream cheese (in a large bowl) on high just until softened, 5 to 10 seconds. Check it. You'd be surprised how microwave ovens vary.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons of the sugar and all of the cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir till smooth. Wrap tightly and chill for about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to the middle position. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Arrange the bread on a rack set over a rimmed baking sleet. Bake it until slightly dry, about 15 minutes. (I would say "or stale bread", but if you're familiar with their exhaustive testing approach, it's best to just trust them and do this step.).
- Spread the cream cheese evenly over 4 pieces of bread. Leave a 1/2-inch at the edges. ( If you do not leave the border clear, it will just come out while cooking and be wasted.) Lightly press the rest of the slices over the top to make 4 sturdy sandwiches.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk it with the milk, egg, vanilla, salt and the remaining 2 T. of sugar. Slowly whisk in the flour until smooth. Pour the batter into a large shallow dish.
- Slide 2 sandwiches into the batter and soak both sides, about 1 minute per side. Meanwhile, melt 1 more T. of the butter in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat until it begins to brown, swirling to coat the pan.
- Remove the bread from the batter. Let excess batter drip back in the dish. Lay two sandwiches in the hot skillet. Cook until golden brown on both sides, about 2.5 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the other two sandwiches.
EASY FRENCH TOAST
This is how my grandma taught me to make french toast growing up. It's a quick, simple recipe that uses ingredients most people have on hand.
Provided by cblpvanessag
Categories Breakfast
Time 15m
Yield 2 slices, 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Break eggs into a pie plate and lighty beat.
- Stir in milk, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.
- Heat skillet over med/high heat.
- Grease skillet with butter, lightly covering the bottom.
- Place one piece of bread in the egg mixture.
- Quickly flip so that both sides are coated, making sure not to soak up too much.
- Cook in skillet until each side is light to medium brown.
- Repeat steps as you make room in the skillet.
- You may need to grease the skillet again between batches.
- Serve warm with syrup and powdered sugar if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 278.2, Fat 9.8, SaturatedFat 3.7, Cholesterol 241, Sodium 374.3, Carbohydrate 32.4, Fiber 1.6, Sugar 5.7, Protein 13.7
AMARETTO FRENCH TOAST
An adapted recipe from Oso Grande Ranch, Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Decadent and a lovely special occasion breakfast/brunch.
Provided by ratherbeswimmin
Categories Breakfast
Time 42m
Yield 3 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Place French bread slices in a 13x9 inch baking dish.
- In a mixing bowl, add eggs, milk, brown sugar, almond extract, nutmeg, and Amaretto; whisk to combine.
- Pour mixture over bread slices; set stand 2 1/2 minutes; turn bread slices over and let stand 2 1/2 more minutes.
- May chill for 8 hours if desired.
- Melt butter at 400° in a 15x10 inch jelly roll pan; tilt pan to coat evenly with melted butter.
- Place bread slices into coated pan.
- Bake at 400° for 15 minutes; turn; bake 8 more minutes or until golden.
- Sprinkle with almonds, and powdered sugar if desired.
- Serve with maple syrup.
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