How to Make The World's Best French Toast Recipe

Breakfast or Brunch Treat - Simple or Dressed for Guests

Jun 8, 2008 Larry Ervin

Father's Day - Mother's Day - Any Holiday - even your Un-Birthday is reason enough to make the day special by starting with French Toast.

The name in French, pain perdu “lost bread” suggests the recipe’s humble beginnings as a way to use up stale bread. The good news is that you don’t need to sit around waiting for bread to stale.

While the recipe calls for French Bread or a baguette (a.k.a. French Stick), any bread will do. Some variations even call for raisin bread, brioche or challah.

The recipe is best when assembled ahead (three hours or overnight) so that the bread gets thoroughly soaked with the egg mixture. No one fault you if you can’t wait, but then you’ll have Pretty Darn Good French Toast instead of the World’s Best.

How to Make Basic French Toast

Serves 4

2 eggs
1 cup milk
dash of salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp each: vanilla extract and ground cinnamon
butter or canola oil for frying
8 slices French Bread (or 16 of baguette) or your choice

Preheat a serving platter in a low oven (~275 degrees).

In a Hurry Version:

In a pie plate or shallow, flat-bottomed container big enough for one bread slice, mix all the ingredients except the bread.
Over medium-low flame, heat butter or oil in a skillet or on a griddle.
One at a time, dip both sides of the bread in the egg mixture. Place on skillet or griddle.
In batches, cook until golden brown, turning once. Transfer to the warmed platter in the oven. Repeat until all are cooked.

Make-Ahead Version:

In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients except the bread. Pour half into the bottom of one or more baking dishes large enough to hold the bread in a single layer. Add the bread and pour over with the other half of the egg mixture. Make sure the bread is coated everywhere. Cover the dish and refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

When you’re ready to cook,

Over medium-low flame, heat butter or oil in a skillet or on a griddle.
One at a time, transfer the saturated slices to the skillet or griddle.
In batches, cook until golden brown, turning once. Transfer to the warmed platter in the oven. Repeat until all are cooked.

Serving instructions for both versions:

Serve with butter, warmed syrup or fresh fruit, fruit preserves or simply sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Variations:

Substitute cream or half-and-half or buttermilk for some or all of the milk.
Substitute vanilla yogurt for half of the mile and make the recipe with cinnamon-raisin bread.
Substitute eggnog plus a jigger of bourbon for all of the milk!

The Best French Toast with Peaches

Substitute a mixture of cream with 3 Tbsp peach preserves for all of the milk in the make-ahead version.
Spread the toasts with peach butter (equal parts softened butter and peach preserves mixed) just before serving.
Top with sliced fresh peaches, powdered sugar, whipping cream and toasted almond slivers.

Top that!

Some may consider the title hyperbole. You may have a French Toast variation you think is best. Why not share it? Use the “Comments” feature below, or click on the author’s name and use the “Contact Me” feature.

More Breakfast and Brunch Recipes like:

Champagne Cocktail Normande
Bosun's Bloody Mary

The World's Best French Toast (with Peaches)
Caramel Apple French Toast
Crepes Normande

Camembert and Apple Omelette
Asparagus Cordon Bleu Crepes
Seafood Eggs Benedict with Shrimp, Nova Scotia Lox and Asparagus
Sweet Potato Hash with Smoked Salmon and Fennel

The copyright of the article How to Make The World's Best French Toast Recipe in French Cuisine is owned by Larry Ervin. Permission to republish How to Make The World's Best French Toast Recipe in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.