Simple French Toast

Long weekends beg for decadent breakfasts. French toast, with its custard-like texture and sweet, crispy crust, is the perfect answer.

Like many of my favorite sweet breakfast treats, french toast comes together quickly and requires ingredients frequently found in the fridge. Eggs? Check. Milk? Check. Bread? Check. If I’m really trying to impress, I’ll throw a loaf of challah into the mix.

To make a truly great piece of french toast – one that rivals your favorite brunch establishments – There are a few tricks. First, use thick slices of day-old bread. Your bread should be soft enough to soak up the egg mixture, but not so soft that it will fall apart. Secondly, make sure that you have the right proportion of milk to eggs. If you’re looking for a rich, melt-in-your-mouth piece of french toast, use whole milk or heavy cream.  If you’re looking for something slightly healthier, stick with a low-fat milk like 1%. Lastly, let the bread soak in the custard mixture on both sides before cooking. This is the key to creating a creamy center – arguably the best part of the dish.

For those of you savory folks that are skeptical of sweet breakfast, give this one a try.

French Toast Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk (I used 1%)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg
• 4 medium slices of bread (preferably challah), cut into 1″ thick slices
• unsalted butter for frying

Instructions:

1. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add milk, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon and whisk until combined.
2. Dip slices of bread one at a time into the bowl.  Let sit for 30 seconds on one side and then flip. Let sit for 30 more seconds and then remove bread from egg mixture, letting excess egg drip off. Repeat with remaining slices of bread.
3. Heat skillet over medium high heat.  Add butter and swirl around pan to coat. Add slices of bread to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Flip bread and let cook on other side for 2-3 minutes longer.
4. Remove bread from pan and top with strawberries and maple syrup.  Serve warm and enjoy!