How To Make French Toast
French toast is a delicious breakfast treat that is perfect for any occasion. Slices of bread are soaked in a custard mixture and cooked to perfection. It’s an indulgent breakfast treat you will love. Plus, it’s super easy to make. Just a few simple ingredients and you’re good to go!
French Toast Background
Have you ever wondered about the origins of French toast?
History has it that the dish we know as French bread – or pain perdu if you are in France – has been around for centuries. In fact, the simple dish can be traced back to the Roman Empire.
The name of the dish has been traced back to 17th-century England. The French name of the dish translates to lost bread and is so named because of the peasants using stale bread that would otherwise be tossed out.
It only takes a few kitchen staples to make French toast, so it is easy to whip up on a whim. Let’s take a look at how to make this classic breakfast dish.
Ingredients
To make basic French toast, you need the following ingredients:
- bread – While you can use any bread to make French toast, using thick bread like brioche is optimal. French bread, naturally, works really well for making French toast.
- milk or cream
- eggs
- vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg
- oil (for pan frying)
How To Make French Toast
Once you have all of your ingredients gathered, begin by making the custard base.
Whisk together eggs, milk (or half and half), vanilla, and spices until well combined.
Heat a skillet over medium to medium-high heat with a small layer of oil. If you have a non-stick skillet, use it. They work best when making French toast.
When the skillet is ready, dip the bread slices in the custard mixture. Allow the slices to soak it up, but do not leave them in long.
Remove them and allow the excess mixture to drip off. Place the slices onto the prepared pan or griddle and cook until they are golden brown.
Flip and repeat on the other side. Remove the slices once they are golden brown and place them on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
Tips
If you are a bread baker, be sure to wait a day or two after baking bread before using it to make French toast. I recommend that if you use a loaf of French bread, cut the slices ½” – 1″ thick.
When using brioche, be sure to cut your slices at least ½ inch thick. You need the thickness to be able to hold the custard mixture. Thinner slices typically do not hold up well when flipped.
Allow the bread to develop a nice, brown color before flipping. This may take a little bit of practice. There’s a slight learning curve, so just be patient.
Heat your pan to the optimal temperature. I find that heating it to medium-high heat works best. While making a large batch, I sometimes have to lower the temperature after cooking the first few slices.
Make sure your pan is well-greased/oiled/butter. Even though I use a nonstick skillet, I find oil helps to create just the right amount of crispness that French toast needs. You may find it necessary to add additional oil during the process.
Can you freeze French toast?
Absolutely. French toast freezes well for up to 2 months. To freeze, allow the toast to cool (I prefer to drain any excess oil on paper towels) and then place in a Ziplock freezer bag.
I recommend placing parchment paper between slices of French toast to help prevent them from sticking together. When you are ready to eat them, simply pop them in your toaster or toaster oven to reheat them.
Dessert Variation
For a dessert option, a drizzle of chocolate sauce hits the sweet spot.
For a dessert option, a drizzle of chocolate sauce hits the sweet spot.
French toast can even be served topped with a scoop of ice cream, then drizzled with chocolate sauce, and topped with a cherry on top or a side of strawberries and cream.
French Toast Recipe
Ingredients
- French bread cut into 1-inch slices
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups milk or half-and-half
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 – 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Heat nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. (If using a griddle, set it to 400 degrees.)
- Combine eggs, milk or half-and-half, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl.
- Dip slices of bread into liquid mixture. Remove and allow excess liquid to drain.
- Lightly spray griddle with non-stick spray or lightly coat with oil.
- Place prepared bread slice on griddle and cook until golden brown.
- Flip bread and repeat on other side.
- Remove from heat and place on plate lined with paper towels.
- Top with your favorite toppings.
Nutrition
More breakfast recipes at Southern Kissed:
- Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
- Banana Nut Muffins
- Bakery-style Blueberry Muffins
- Easy French Toast Casserole
- Blueberry Breakfast Bake
Be sure to come back and tell us how your French toast turned out!
Just what I needed to make my toast have more flavor, it was great! Thank you! :))
This looks amazing!
the French toast looks so yummy…..I’m hungry!
Looks delicious! We ate that ice cream stuffed brioche in November – SO good.