Above all else, make sure you have some softened butter and warm maple syrup ready. You’re about to make make your French toast, but before you do, this is the point where you want to make sure your toppings are ready. It creates a thicker custard and the bread has a harder time absorbing the mixture. You could use whole milk or even half-and-half, but the resulting French toast won’t be significantly different from using low-fat milk. The custard will still work fine as the cinnamon will stick to the bread.Ī Note About Milk: I usually use a 1% or 2% low-fat milk.
Other Flavor Additions To Try: Nutmeg, orange zest, lemon zest, all-spice, ground cloves, pumpkin pie spice, ginger.Ī Note About Cinnamon: When you beat cinnamon into your eggs and milk, it may have a tendency to float and clump and not get absorbed by the mixture. Your French toast is going to get a another huge burst of flavor when you add your toppings. I like to use just a couple pinches of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Try not to overpower your custard with added flavors. Finally, spices and flavorings are used as you see fit. If you’re bread is already sweet, as in the case of a cinnamon loaf, skip the additional sugar. Remember, you’re likely going be pouring sweet syrup over your final result so you don’t want a lot of sugar. I use just a teaspoon of sugar per cup of milk. A little bit of sugar is a great addition if you’re bread isn’t already sweet. First, a pinch of salt helps bring all your flavors together. This mixture can be simply eggs and milk, but for the best flavor you’ll want to add a couple things. The egg and milk mixture that you’ll dredge your bread through is called the custard. Just be sure to use large, extra-large or medium eggs as the recipe you’re using dictates. For French toast, any eggs will do as long as they’re still good. For hard-boiled eggs, the best eggs are those nearing their expiration date (they’re easier to peel). If you’re making sunny-side-up eggs, you want the freshest eggs you can get so the yolks are big and vibrant. When it comes to French toast, eggs are eggs. You can certainly try thinner or thicker slices, but if your bread is more than 1-inch thick, consider finishing it off in a medium oven so that the inside isn’t gooey. That’s the ideal thickness so that the inside will cook as the outside browns. If you’re bread isn’t already sliced, cut the loaf into pieces about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick. Does the increase in sugar negate the benefits of fiber and whole grains? That’s something you’ll need to decide.īreads You Should Try: Croissants, Cinnamon, French, Sourdough, Brioche, Pannetone. I find that I end up using more syrup to mask the whole grain flavors. That’s great for toast and tomatoes, but not ideal for French toast. Whole grain breads usually taste healthy. If your slices of bread are slightly dry, they absorb more custard (eggs, milk, etc.) and make a more succulent and moist French toast.Ī Note About Whole Grain Breads: These kinds of bread will work, but consider if the health benefits of whole grains is worth the trade-off for great taste. The best place to get bread: You’re local bakery or grocer’s day-old bread bin. Regular white sandwich bread will work fine, but if you can get a nice loaf of French bread, Challah bread or an interesting cinnamon swirl bread, your French toast will be several degrees better before you even begin.
The easiest way to make exceptional French toast is to use exceptional bread. The following article should give you everything you need to know to make successful French toast every time. French toast should be a welcoming platform for syrup or other toppings, as if to say, “Hello maple syrup.
Any spices or added flavoring should be subtle yet noticeable. The flavor should enhance the bread you decide to use. The best French toast is golden brown on the outside with an inside that’s soft and tender, moist but not wet.