The World's Best French Toast
Breakfast or Brunch Treat - Simple or Dressed for Guests
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.
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