Thanks to America's Test Kitchen for working out how to get really great French toast. Home made is often too soggy and tastes like scrambled eggs, unlike a good restaurant version.
This version is crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, with rich custard-like flavor with just a hint of nuttiness. I prefer either using the challah bread or English muffin loaf bread. Today I'm using the latter. You can find Thomas’ English Muffin Toasting Bread which is pre-sliced or Pepperidge Farm House Bread, Hearty White at most American grocers. Today I have a loaf the English Muffin Bread. If you are looking for the classic challah bread, it looks like the below image and is available in many bakeries.
Ingredients (serves 4, 2 slices each)
8 large slices hearty bread
farmhouse hearty white, challah or English muffin toasting bread
1 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed
3 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg (optional)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
plus 2 tablespoons more for cooking
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
maple syrup for serving
Instructions
Note: I cook mine, all four slices, in a large non-stick skillet as I'm usually just making half the batch. However, if you are making the full batch or have a smaller skillet, you can do two slices at a time as noted in the recipe, or if you have a large griddle, you can cook them all at once, which will take an extra 2 to 3 minutes per side. For an electric griddle set the temperature to 350F degrees.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Place bread on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Bake bread until almost dry throughout, about 15 minutes, flipping slices halfway through. Remove bread from rack and let cool 5 minutes. Reduce temperature to 200 degrees for keeping batches warm if you are not frying them all at one time.
Warm the milk in the microwave or on the cooktop over gentle heat, until it's just warm to your finger (about 80F degrees.) Whisk milk, yolks, sugar, cinnamon, 2 tablespoons melted butter, salt, and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Transfer mixture to 13 x 9 inch pan/dish. If making half the batch as I am year, use a 9 x 9 in pan/dish.
Soak bread in milk mixture until saturated but not falling apart, about 20 seconds per side. Using slotted spatula, pick up bread slice and allow excess milk mixture to drip off; repeat with remaining slices. Place soaked bread on a baking rack set over a rimmed sheet or directly a platter.
Heat about a half tablespoon butter in the skillet over medium heat. When foaming subsides, use slotted spatula to transfer 2 slices soaked bread to skillet and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes on both sides. (If toast is cooking too quickly, reduce temperature slightly.) Transfer to baking sheet in oven if you are not frying it all in one batch to keep warm. If so, repeat cooking with remaining bread adding a little more butter to the skillet for each batch. Serve warm, passing maple syrup to drizzle on top.
This version is crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, with rich custard-like flavor with just a hint of nuttiness. I prefer either using the challah bread or English muffin loaf bread. Today I'm using the latter. You can find Thomas’ English Muffin Toasting Bread which is pre-sliced or Pepperidge Farm House Bread, Hearty White at most American grocers. Today I have a loaf the English Muffin Bread. If you are looking for the classic challah bread, it looks like the below image and is available in many bakeries.
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| Can also be made with thick raisin bread. |
Ingredients (serves 4, 2 slices each)
8 large slices hearty bread
farmhouse hearty white, challah or English muffin toasting bread
1 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed
3 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg (optional)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
plus 2 tablespoons more for cooking
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
maple syrup for serving
Instructions
Note: I cook mine, all four slices, in a large non-stick skillet as I'm usually just making half the batch. However, if you are making the full batch or have a smaller skillet, you can do two slices at a time as noted in the recipe, or if you have a large griddle, you can cook them all at once, which will take an extra 2 to 3 minutes per side. For an electric griddle set the temperature to 350F degrees.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Place bread on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Bake bread until almost dry throughout, about 15 minutes, flipping slices halfway through. Remove bread from rack and let cool 5 minutes. Reduce temperature to 200 degrees for keeping batches warm if you are not frying them all at one time.
Warm the milk in the microwave or on the cooktop over gentle heat, until it's just warm to your finger (about 80F degrees.) Whisk milk, yolks, sugar, cinnamon, 2 tablespoons melted butter, salt, and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Transfer mixture to 13 x 9 inch pan/dish. If making half the batch as I am year, use a 9 x 9 in pan/dish.
Soak bread in milk mixture until saturated but not falling apart, about 20 seconds per side. Using slotted spatula, pick up bread slice and allow excess milk mixture to drip off; repeat with remaining slices. Place soaked bread on a baking rack set over a rimmed sheet or directly a platter.
Heat about a half tablespoon butter in the skillet over medium heat. When foaming subsides, use slotted spatula to transfer 2 slices soaked bread to skillet and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes on both sides. (If toast is cooking too quickly, reduce temperature slightly.) Transfer to baking sheet in oven if you are not frying it all in one batch to keep warm. If so, repeat cooking with remaining bread adding a little more butter to the skillet for each batch. Serve warm, passing maple syrup to drizzle on top.
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