When I told one of my favorite people at the office that I was working on a recipe for French toast, he looked at me incredulously, without an ounce of meanness, and asked, “Do people not know how to make French toast?”
After escaping the spiral of self-doubt that naturally followed, I decided that even if you roughly know how to make French toast, perhaps there are a few things you can learn from my recipe. And if you don’t have a recipe? Well, now I’ve got you covered there, too.
I started with this Deluxe Cinnamon French Toast from cookbook author Lisa Yockelson that I tested for the Food section more than three years ago. I remember loving the crunchy exterior, but wanted to streamline the recipe a bit.
Even if you do know how to make French toast or have a favorite recipe, here are a few takeaways.
- Think about the bread. I prefer thicker slices (about an inch), which makes it easier to dip and flip. Go for something sturdier for the same reasons. My pick is challah, which is soft but stable and mildly sweet. Texas toast works, but regular white bread? I’ve had too many slices disintegrate to endorse it. Sourdough and brioche are other options.
- Flavor the custard. The egg-dairy mixture for soaking the bread is an ideal vehicle for flavors. This recipe does that with vanilla and cinnamon, but choose what you like. Almond extract would be great, or try orange-flavored liqueur if you’re feeling fancy. My husband and I have used ground cardamom to lovely effect. If you’re using dried spices, just be sure to mix it with the sugar going into the custard first (or sift the two together into the eggs). It helps distribute it more evenly and keeps it from clumping once it’s added to the eggs.
- Let the bread rest. Sure, you may have hungry people patiently (or not so patiently) waiting for a weekend breakfast, but a quick rest in the refrigerator is, I think, worth the end result. It allows the custard to soak farther into the bread, which gives a more uniform texture so you don’t get an eggy outside and regular bread on the inside. And have you ever had that unappetizing scrambled egg exterior? That’s less likely with this method, too, because the excess egg is either migrating inside or being left behind on the baking pan. You could leave out this step if you’re really rushed for time, but I don’t recommend it.
- Give it a nice crunchy crust. Sprinkling one side of the soaked bread with cinnamon sugar is perhaps the best part of this recipe. When that coating hits the hot skillet, it darkens and caramelizes. As you expect, that crust looks and tastes good. Kind of like creme brulee. If you’re already using other competing dried spices in the custard, you can use sugar alone for sprinkling or add another hit of whatever was in the egg mixture.
From there, serve as you please. I’m a simple maple syrup kind of girl, but a warm fruit compote, fresh berries, candied nuts and whipped cream are all toppings worthy of this top toast.
Make Ahead: The bread slices need to soak in the whisked-egg mixture for 10 to 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
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