Best French Toast Recipe – A Couple Cooks

Right here’s how you can make the perfect greatest French toast recipe! It’s caramelized on the surface with a candy custardy inside.

It’s cinnamon-scented, crispy on the surface and custardy on the within: attempt our greatest French toast recipe! It’s primary, however it might style like an opulent morning of lodge room service if it’s carried out proper. Right here we’ve cracked the code to the easiest approach to make this basic breakfast recipe: and it’s all within the elements. Right here’s what to know!

Components in a French toast recipe

Traditional French toast is sliced bread soaked in a combination of egg, milk and sugar, then fried till golden crisp on a griddle. This genius approach to reinvent stale bread has been round for tons of of years. Actually, the earliest French toast recipe is in a set of Roman recipes from the first century AD (“The Artwork of Cooking” by Apicius). How’s that for historical past?

The early model was even less complicated than right this moment’s. However the genius of French toast is that it makes use of primary elements to make a hearty meal. Right here’s what you want for a primary French toast recipe:

• Eggs
• Milk: complete milk offers the richest taste, or use 2% or non-dairy milk
• Sugar: only a trace is all you want
• Vanilla extract: this recipe makes use of a hefty quantity of vanilla for a daring taste
• Cinnamon and nutmeg: including nutmeg to the combo offers simply the correct complexity
• Salt: salt accentuates the flavors; don’t omit it!
• Bread: an Italian or French loaf, artisan bread, or sourdough bread are our choice, however you too can use challah or brioche for lighter texture
• Butter: for cooking

Greatest bread for French toast

The kind of bread could make or break a French toast recipe. A slice of flimsy store-bought sandwich bread loaf simply doesn’t maintain a candle to a extra artisan-style bread. Listed here are a couple of of the perfect breads for French toast:

• Sourdough bread: Sourdough bread has a naturally agency texture and a slight tang to the flavour. It’s our best choice for French toast!
• Italian or French loaf: Every grocery retailer makes use of a distinct title for such a bread, however search for an artisan loaf with a agency crust and durable texture. You may as well use a French baguette.
• Artisan bread: Search for any model of artisan bread within the bakery part of your grocery retailer. We advocate avoiding very seedy whole-grain breads for this recipe.
• Challah or brioche: Egg-based breads like challah and brioche make a fluffy, custardy texture to the French toast. (It’s not our choice, however it’s a selected model!)

Bread to keep away from for French toast? We don’t love bought white or complete wheat sandwich bread. Positive, it’s basic: however the texture can come out mushy and bland. After all, you need to use it if it’s all you will have. However for the perfect French toast recipe, stick with the categories above.

The best way to make French toast

French toast is arguably one of many easiest breakfasts you can also make: it’s even simpler than pancakes or waffles. Why? All you’ve obtained to do is combine up the custard, dip the bread, and fry. Listed here are a couple of suggestions for the method:

• Whisk: In a large shallow bowl or container, whisk collectively eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and kosher salt.
• Dip: Preheat a griddle over medium warmth and soften 1 tablespoon butter. Soak either side of 4 slices of bread within the egg combination for 10 to fifteen seconds. Attempt to not oversoak the bread or it can develop into mushy. Nonetheless, when you’re utilizing a bread with extra construction like sourdough, you possibly can soak barely longer. 
• Fry: Place the bread on the new skillet and cook dinner 2 to three minutes per aspect, till browned.
• Repeat: Repeat with the remaining butter and 4 slices bread. Serve instantly with maple syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Avoiding mushy bread

The easiest way to have full-textured French toast is to make use of nice bread. As famous above, bought sandwich bread has a flimsy construction and might develop into mushy. Right here’s what to know:

• Use a bread with texture like a sourdough or Italian or French artisan loaf.
• Think about using stale bread or bread that may be a few days previous, which soaks up the egg combination extra. (This isn’t mandatory with sturdier breads like sourdough.)
• For those who’re utilizing a bought sandwich bread with a flimsy texture, think about flippantly toasting it within the oven or toaster it earlier than soaking.

Decadent variation: heavy cream

Need to amp up this French toast recipe? Change half the milk quantity with heavy cream! Including this silky, creamy dairy to the combo makes French toast richer, extra buttery and excessive luxurious. Do that if you need an additional particular meal, like birthdays, Mother’s Day or holidays.

French toast toppings

For this greatest French toast recipe, we wish to preserve toppings easy. A pat of butter, a dusting of powdered sugar, and a drizzle of maple syrup are all you want! However if you wish to get a bit of fancier, listed here are some connoisseur topping concepts:

Weight loss plan variations

Do you will have a particular weight loss plan? Listed here are a couple of methods to change this French toast recipe:

• Dairy-free: This recipe works with non-dairy milk; we advocate oat milk.
• Gluten-free: Use any kind of gluten-free bread.
• Vegan: Attempt Vegan French Toast with Caramelized Bananas! Utilizing banana makes a flavorful soaking combination.

Extra basic breakfast recipes

Love an amazing basic breakfast or brunch? Attempt these breakfast recipe ideas: