10(1-inch) slicesbriocheOR slick sliced Texas Toast OR white sandwich bread; stale
4tablespoonsbutter
Instructions
Whisk eggs, cinnamon, vanilla and salt in a shallow casserole dish until fully combined. Whisk in milk.
Using one slice at a time, allow bread to soak in egg mixture for 10-30 seconds per side (see notes below for tips on soaking time!). Do not pre-soak, soaked slices need to cook immediately! (This yields French toast with custard-like, soft centers; for crisper French toast, quickly turn bread in egg mixture just 2-3 times).
To cook, melt 1 teaspoon of butter per toast over medium heat in a large skillet or on a griddle. Cook French toast until golden on either side and puffy/cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd pan, cook 2-4 toasts at a time, depending on size. Repeat until all of the bread has been used.
Serve immediately, or keep French toast warm in a 100°F oven until all of your bread is cooked.
Notes
Butter: I really love using butter to cook my French toast, it’s just extra-special. Feel free to use oil, it will yield a slightly different color/flavor but it’s still very delicious!
Milk: My favorite to use here is whole milk or 2% milk – they yield a rich, French toast without making it sickly/fatty. I have tried recipes using cream before, and it’s just too much of a good thing to me.
Bread: I used thick slices of brioche bread. Texas toast or Challah are also great! You can use slices of French bread or sourdough as well, if that’s what you have.
What matters most is that your bread is stale; if it’s fresh, you’ll need to dry it out by baking it at 300°F for 10-15 minutes.
The bread you’re using will make the biggest difference in the final texture of your French toast. Flimsy bread or soft bread that’s not stale easily turns out soggy.
Soaking time: The time you leave the bread in the egg mixture heavily depends on the type of bread you're using. A thicker, sturdier bread (like a sourdough) may be fine to stay in the egg mixture for up to 30 seconds per side; in fact, it might need it or else the middle could end up too dry! A very soft, non-stale brioche on the other hand may only need 15-20 seconds in the egg mixture in total; else it will come out soggy. French toast is really simple to make, but you do need to pay close attention to which exact ingredients you are using and adjust your technique accordingly.