I’m more of a pancake and waffle gal myself, but my better half is a French toast fanatic.
Whenever we go out for breakfast, you can bet that’s what he’ll be ordering.
The chef in me loves the many variations possible on the French toast theme: stuffed with a luscious filling, coated with nuts or crushed cereal, baked to a golden brown or sautéed in butter, covered with oodles of fresh fruit, drowning in syrup and/or whipped cream, dusted with a snowy layer of powdered sugar . . . hmm, it’s starting to sound pretty good to me too!
Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Be sure to use good quality bread for these recipes, and buy it unsliced so you can cut thick pieces to soak up the egg mixture.
Bread that is one or two days old works best for French toast. I’d also recommend using whole milk or even light cream rather than reduced-fat milk. Remember, this is a decadent, special occasion breakfast, and don’t forget that French toast’s best friend is a side of crispy bacon.
Churro French Toast
For the French toast:
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
8 one-inch thick slices of white bread (you can use regular sandwich bread or a French or Italian loaf)
Butter for sautéing
For the churro coating:
1⁄3 cup of butter, melted
¾ cup of granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Warm maple or chocolate syrup for serving
In a large pie plate, beat the eggs lightly with the milk, cinnamon and vanilla until well combined.
Heat a large skillet or griddle pan over medium heat; melt about one tablespoon of butter in the heated pan and swirl to coat the pan.
Place the bread slices into the egg mixture one at a time; leave them for a few seconds to soak up mixture, then turn slices over and soak the second side for a few seconds (prepare only as many slices as you will be able to fit in the pan, prepare each batch just before cooking).
Sprinkle the slices with a little extra cinnamon if desired.
Transfer coated slices to the heated pan and cook until bottom is golden brown, then carefully flip slices and cook other side. Melt an additional tablespoon of butter in the pan before cooking each batch.
Transfer cooked slices to a plate and keep warm in a 250° F oven until all are cooked. Once all slices are cooked, combine the sugar and one teaspoon of cinnamon on a large plate.
With a pastry brush, generously coat each side of the French toast slices with melted butter, then dip each side into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Serve immediately with warm maple or chocolate syrup. Makes four servings.
Overnight Crème Brulée French Toast
½ cup butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
10 to 12 one-inch thick slices of French bread
5 large eggs
1½ cups light cream
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp orange liqueur or 1 tsp finely grated orange zest
Pinch of salt
Fresh berries, whipped cream and warm maple syrup for serving
In a small saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together, stirring until smooth.
Pour the mixture into a lightly greased rimmed baking sheet or jelly-roll pan approximately 18x13 inches (rim should be one inch high); spread the mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan using a spatula.
Arrange as many bread slices as will fit in the pan in a single layer on top of the brown sugar mixture, covering the pan as completely as possible. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs for one minute, then whisk in the cream, maple syrup, vanilla, liqueur or zest and salt. Spoon the mixture evenly over each slice of bread.
Cover the pan and refrigerate for at least eight hours or overnight. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350° F. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly golden, then flip each slice over and broil until the tops are golden.
Serve with fresh berries, whipped cream and a drizzle of maple syrup. Makes four to six servings.
Peanut Butter and Banana Stuffed French Toast
8 half-inch thick slices white or multigrain bread
2 ripe bananas, peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices
8 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
Liquid honey for drizzling
5 large eggs
½ cup whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp dark rum (substitute maple syrup for a child-friendly version)
½ tsp cinnamon
Butter for sautéing
Powdered sugar and warm maple syrup for serving
Lay the bread slices out on the counter and spread each one with peanut butter, then cut off crusts (it’s easier to spread the peanut butter with the crusts on).
Cover every other slice of bread with sliced banana, and drizzle the slices without banana with a little liquid honey.
Flip the honey-drizzled slices over on top of the slices with banana and press sandwiches together lightly. In a shallow bowl or a pie plate, whisk together the eggs, whipping cream, vanilla, rum and cinnamon.
Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt a tablespoon of butter in the hot pan; dip one sandwich at a time into the egg mixture, coating both sides completely, then place sandwiches in the hot skillet and cook each side until golden brown.
Remove from skillet and cut each sandwich in half diagonally. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve immediately with maple syrup. Makes four servings.
Angela Shellard is aself-described foodie. She has done informal catering for various functions. Contact: [email protected].
