DiningBuzz! - Create excellent French Toast?

Anyone? This morning, I was craving French Toast. Inspired by Randy's tweet earlier this week. My creation turned disastrous.

On the plus side, I will use real Vermont (or Maine) maple syrup (no HFCS).

Ideas? Cooking Temps? Styles? Accouterments?

I'm also interested in the etymology of said edible.

The venerable Wikipedia says:

"French toast" can be found in print in the US as early as 1871. The Oxford English Dictionary cites usages of "French toast" in English as early as 1660 (toasted bread with wine, orange juice, and sugar), and cites an egg-based recipe of the same name from 1882. According to the International House of Pancakes, French toast is not necessarily French in origin; it is likely that the recipe dates back to medieval times and may have been a logical “invention” by different peoples, akin to battering and frying any food.[1] Supposedly it was originally known in England and America as "German toast", prior to the First World War, when it was changed because of anti-German sentiment.

Thx!

I make excellent French toast :) from a little New Orleans cookbook where it's called Pain Perdu (forgotten bread). The bread has to be slightly stale (dry it out in a standard toaster if it's too fresh). I don't have the recipe here but it's the usual eggs and milk thing, plus (about) a tsp of sugar and (about) a quarter-tsp of salt and a dash of vanilla. And use a half/half mix of cooking oil and butter on the griddle; the butter gives flavor but the oil keeps it from getting too heavy.

Stale bread is good; stale brioche better.

Slice it fairly thick; coat with the eggs, milk and vanilla mixture. Then put it on a greased baking sheet at 350 degrees till it's brown on each side.(8 min or so) Foolproof!

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Moving to DiningBuzz! More appropriate fit. Heading out to get some French Toast now. Mmmmm.

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I always use fold cinnamon into the milk/egg mixture. It makes all the difference.

And real Vermont maple syrup is the way to go!

Stale bread is good; stale brioche better.

Slice it fairly hick; coat with the eggs, milk and vanilla mixture. Then put it on a greased baking sheet at 350 degrees till it's brown on each side.(8 min or so) Foolproof!

Stale bread (or as you say, stale brioche) is indeed key. Another thing which helps IMHO is to soak the bread overnight--in the fridge, of course--in the custard mixture. And yes, baking vs. cooking in a pan is a big deal, too.

Seeing this thread inspired me to cook some up from breakfast this morning. We did have about half a loaf of stale bread to dispose of, but I didn't think to do the overnight soak.

just had hotel french toast for breakfast, not to bad, but a bit to much cinnamon.

My recipe for the batter:

3/4 cup milk (2% or whole)
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla (Use Madagascar Vanilla, not the imitation stuff)
Dash of nutmeg
Dash of cinnamon

Depending on the bread being used, you can usually coat around 8 or so pieces well.

Use a cast iron skillet on medium high heat. Put a tablespoon or so of butter on the skillet to melt and coat the skillet throughly. If the bread (once battered) doesn't sizzle when it hits the skillet, the skillet isn't warm enough.

Cook until the bread is lightly browned on both sides. Keep warm in a 170 degree oven until ready to serve.

Serve with your choice of toppings, although I'm partial to, as of late, a mixture of honey, butter, and toasted pecans. Bread choice of late has been croissants, made with butter (not margarine).

It's hard to imagine any French toast being "disastrous." To me, it seems that on a 1-10 scale, French toast starts out as about a 5 and just gets better. :)

One of the best - as served on the Sante Fe Railroad's "Super Chief" cross country train:

Santa Fe Railroad French Toast

3 slices three-day-old bread, cut ¾ inch thick

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup light cream

¼ tsp. salt

Confectioners’ sugar

Warm syrup


Cut firm homemade-style bread into ¾-inch slices. Trim crusts from bread and cut each slice into a triangle.

Combine beaten eggs, cream and salt. Dip bread triangles in the mixture, allowing the bread to absorb as much of custard as possible.

Meantime, preheat ½-inch oil in an electric skillet to 350 degrees. Also preheat an oven to 400 degrees.

Using tongs, transfer the soaked bread to preheated oil. When first side is brown, turn to second side. Remove browned pieces to a shallow sided pan such as a jelly roll pan.

Bake the browned French toast in a 400-degree oven until puffed, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Drain quickly on paper toweling. Transfer to a warm platter. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and serve with warm syrup. Makes 3 servings, two triangles per serving.

Good French toast reduces pancakes and waffles to little better than hardtack.

The origin (at least in the US) seems likely to be New Orleans, in the same venue with bread puddings as a revivifier of stale baked goods. The similar "Monte C(h)risto sandwich" may be of French origin, but certainly from after the middle of the 19th century.

Obviously, brioche are best, but many recipes call for thick sliced stale "French" bread (which absorbs less, resulting in a lighter airy product). A worthy substitute: Last night's hot yeast rolls, split. I even recall one sterling example "done" with yesterday's biscuits (split, real ones, not the elasticized ones from a can), a strange combination.

I'm an adherent of (a) butter just at the bubbling point before browning, (b) hot cast iron skillets, and (c) a little "puffing' in a hot oven is not a bad idea and allows the dish to "stand up' longer. Good vanilla in the batter helps, but for me, the cinnamon should be sprinkled atop along with powdered/confections sugar. Some old cooks like evaporated milk instead of milk/cream.

If you must have syrup, why Maple, the unique flavor of its own wasted? Ribbon cane or sorghum maybe. Then there's the school which maintains that nothing tops FT better than a good grade of apricot preserves/compote. Good French Toast needs no lather at all, but life rarely gets better than topping with a few sliced, sugared strawberries marinated in a drop of Port.

Two triangles per serving? That's not even aperif-sized!

I make excellent French toast :) from a little New Orleans cookbook where it's called Pain Perdu (forgotten bread).

Pain Perdu is what we, New Orleanians, call "Lost Bread". You can call it Pain Perdu, Lost Bread or French Toast and we'll be there with our appetite. Can you deliver some to the NZ lounge next time I MR to SYD? :D

go to the Breakfast Club in Scottsdale AZ. Best French Toast Ever. Made with challah bread.

It's hard to imagine any French toast being "disastrous." To me, it seems that on a 1-10 scale, French toast starts out as about a 5 and just gets better. :)

+1 ^



Two triangles per serving? That's not even aperif-sized!

Truer words.... ^^^

Inch-thick challah is the secret. I don't know what my exact recipe is: eggs, milk, maple syrup. It's impossible to mess up. :)

Eugh! :eek:

Surely I'm not the only one from this side of the Atlantic to be horrified by our American cousins' horrible, sweet interpretations of French toast!

Eugh! :eek:

Surely I'm not the only one from this side of the Atlantic to be horrified by our American cousins' horrible, sweet interpretations of French toast!

I guess it's hard to compete with a bowl of hot porridge, huh? ;)

French Toast is fine - just not loaded with all the sweet things you get in it over there!

I guess it's hard to compete with a bowl of hot porridge, huh? ;)

:eek:.
The most perfect french toast is golden on the outside and custardy on the inside. I still find that a bit tricky to achieve.

I guess it's hard to compete with a bowl of hot porridge, huh? ;)

Or, haggis. :D;)

French Toast is fine - just not loaded with all the sweet things you get in it over there!

So, explain what good French toast should be like from your perspective, please. :)

Is it sacrilegious to 86 the maple syrup?

I'm not a huge fan. I like berry syrups a lot more. Is this kosher? Or would purists be appalled?

Is it sacrilegious to 86 the maple syrup?

I'm not a huge fan. I like berry syrups a lot more. Is this kosher? Or would purists be appalled?

No, go ahead. I'll personally use preserves of some type if I don't have the real stuff - which is ridiculously expensive in local stores. My ranking is real syrup>berries>>>>>fake (actually, I simply won't bother in this case. Not worth it)

No, go ahead. I'll personally use preserves of some type if I don't have the real stuff - which is ridiculously expensive in local stores. My ranking is real syrup>berries>>>>>fake (actually, I simply won't bother in this case. Not worth it)

When I was a kid and we ran out of syrup, my mother would heat butter and brown sugar together to use as a substitute. Yum. :)

In Germany French Toast is called "Arme Ritter" which translates "Poor Knights". It is actually a let over recepy when you have dried white bread which is too hard to eat.

So, explain what good French toast should be like from your perspective, please. :)

Just bread soaked in egg and fried! Simples :p

Personally, I like to lightly toast my bread before I put it in the pan. I've found it gives it a better taste.

Just bread soaked in egg and fried! Simples :p

It's easier (less messy and tastier) to fry an egg and make toast. French toast should have some sweetness IMHO. :)

Just bread soaked in egg and fried! Simples :p

That's the way my Mom made it, but topped with butter and maple syrup. It's also the way my wife and I always make it, the only variance being the type of bread we have on hand. Also we have always found it best to beat the eggs really well - a blender is best, to get them very thin so they soak into the bread better.

Interesting thread and recipes. My mother (and now I) always added in bisquick mix which results in a thicker yet not hard coating. I like to cook mine almost but not quite underdone.

Lots of interesting ideas above, but I've made French Toast for 25 or so years as a fast, simple, delicious breakfast food using a very easy recipe.

In a small bowl, whisk together

2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
pinch of salt

This will saturate about 6 slices of standard sandwich bread, white or wheat work fine.

Pan fry until browned in a bit of oil or butter. Transfer to plate.

Add butter or margerine, as well as syrup, and enjoy.

No special breads or unusual ingredients. From craving to satisfied in under 10 minutes. Delicious.

Just bread soaked in egg and fried! Simples :p

Maybe it's just me part Scots (Scots Irish) comin' through, but this is excellent!

Don't (usually) care for them sweet versions, but this is as good as popovers and a dang sight easier!

Soak one large slice of sourdough bread in two well-beaten eggs, turning from time to time, for about twenty minutes, until all of the egg is absorbed, then fry in iron skillet in sizzling butter.

A meal in itself.


Get yer own plate, everyone, mine's taken. :mad:

Soak one large slice of sourdough bread in two well-beaten eggs, turning from time to time, for about twenty minutes, until all of the egg is absorbed, then fry in iron skillet in sizzling butter.

:eek:

:eek:


I've tried this twice since the posting by Scots_Al, and I've found that it takes at least twenty minutes. It is essential, I've found, for the egg to soak through to the middle of the bread, otherwise the egg (popover-like) taste just isn't completely there. I have no idea if it's all right to leave uncooked beaten egg on a counter that long. That was the point of your post, I assume? Also, different breads would involve different times, so YMMV. I'm using a fairly thick sourdough.

If I don't post again for awhile, you'll know that (1) either your concern is justified, and the hospital to which I have been rushed doesn't provide wireless (smile) or else (2) I'm out trying to run off the calories.

I had some egg nog we had not drunk, so I used it to soak the bread in and fried it up. It was gooood!! :D


DD

or a more elegant flavor - replace vanilla with Almond Extract.

Hint: Need to go light on the syrup, as it will overpower the Almond!!

or a more elegant flavor - replace vanilla with Almond Extract.

Hint: Need to go light on the syrup, as it will overpower the Almond!!

Agreed, but I add it in addition to the vanilla. Even in pancake batter. It adds a subtle flavor and a great aroma.

I did try a recipe i found from Australian TV. No matter what batter you use, its best to use thick slices and to freeze the bread after dipping it in the batter.

A bit of food chemistry that allows the batter to be absorbed and cold bread somehow cooks better. I don't fry it but baked it in the oven.

Some strange recipes so far.

Mine is savoury rather than sweet which I would find odd to be honest. I just use beaten egg -no milk and any bread you can get your hands on as long as it's white...brown bread doesn't work for me.
To the mixture I add salt and ground pepper and grate in some hard cheese like Parmesan...I use the locally produced stuff here which is every bit as good as the real stuff at a fraction of the price.
In the frying pan I add a thin layer of Olive Oil and a lump of butter and when it starts to froth I put the pre-dipped bread in the pan and cook till lightly browned on both sides.

Oh.....don't sit the bread in the mixture too long or it'll go too soggy.

There's a place called Angelo's in Ann Arbor Michigan ... they use fresh-baked (in-house!) raisin bread, sliced about 3/4 inch thick ... so good.

French toast should have some sweetness IMHO. :)

Then by all means, use Portugese Sweet Bread. Thick slices. Lots of butter. And heat the maple syrup, which must be a small fortune in Hawaii. Some fresh papaya to start, and Kona coffee to round it all out. Skip lunch.

I used to make French toast almost every weekend.. just eggs, cream and cinnamon.
Usually just use slightly old bread.. the best is Challah bread but don't usually keep that around.
Of course I use only real maple syrup. :D

There's a place here in town that makes the most delicious creme brulee French toast:
http://www.chez-zee.com/creme_brulee.php

The thing with French Toast is: it is such a basic concept that there are just hundreds of different ways to produce it leading to hundreds of different results, and everyone prefers something different.

First there is the whole sweet/unsweet thing - some people look for a more savory bread and eggs together taste, some look for a sweeter custard preparation - a fried bread pudding. Then there is the consistency - do you soak the bread for a long time to make it essentially a custard, or do you give it only a quick dip to coat it, so it remains more bread-like? Should it be crispy? Puffy (bake it in the oven instead of frying)? French breads and such tend to be more doughy and give a totally different result from American sandwich bread, even using the same egg mixture.

My favorite is to use a sweet custard mixture, but only dip the bread in briefly. I don't think I have ever measured anything. I like really dense sandwich bread the best, flatten it a bit before using, but I don't mind if it is fresh. I think that kind of helps it a bit. I prefer to cook it in lots butter, but I dont use syrup, sometimes a little powdered sugar over the top. On the other hand, I also sometimes make cheese french toast - unsweetened, soak the bread pretty well, make sandwich of two slices of bread and gruyere and brie, and then cover heavilly with parmesean and back.

I love French toast with orange juice and ham and egg.

I just made French Toast for my wife on V-day.

4 eggs
1 cup half and half
teaspoon of vanilla (real stuff)
dash of cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1/2 shot of grand marnier (or 1/2 shot of myers dark rum)

Mix together. Soak french toast bread in batter for a few minutes. Melt butter in pan and cook until golden brown on both sides.. probably 5 minutes total. Enough batter for about 6 slices (bread will soak up batter).

Server with power sugar and real Vermont maple syrup.

Then by all means, use Portugese Sweet Bread. Thick slices. Lots of butter. And heat the maple syrup, which must be a small fortune in Hawaii.

It doesn't cost too much more to heat the syrup in Hawaii. ;)

I always heat the syrup - learned that from my mother. She also, as some have suggested above, sprinkled the French toast with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Then, butter and warm syrup! Yum!

Lots of interesting ideas above, but I've made French Toast for 25 or so years as a fast, simple, delicious breakfast food using a very easy recipe.

In a small bowl, whisk together

2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
pinch of salt

This will saturate about 6 slices of standard sandwich bread, white or wheat work fine.


This is very close to what I grew up with, and therefore it's "real" french toast!

Always served with medium grade maple syrup - none of that table syrup nonsense please!


Server with power sugar and real Vermont maple syrup.

Surely French toast should be served with French maple syrup from Quebec :D

I always go for at least a medium, if not darker syrup if I can get my hands on it. Tough to find though!

I'm a little surprised at the number of posters who view "French Toast" as a "savory" dish. I would have estimated that 95% or so of those who order or prepare it would have classified it as "sweet". "Savory" French Toast falls into one of two categories, upscale "Fried Bread" (once cardiac-attack-resulting common in the UK, the stuff of 15' wide row houses and 'cafs') or a downscale version of the Dutch pancakes with/upon which eggs, meat, cheese, etc. are cooked.

Imagining French Toast as a savory dish causes me to recall one long ago raw morning in scenic Londonderry, when my ever accommodating hostess sent me on my way back to my ship with a sodden slab of stale bread poached in a skillet of rancid rasher renderings. Right away, I calculated that her pink plumpness was not just effective at having warmed me through a night broken by the frigid winds of the Winter North Atlantic seeping in the crumbling brick walls of her flat, but the result of too much greasy fried bread of a morning. Even the "Nescafe" couldn't lubricate swallowing those lumps of "congealiality".

Then there's the syrup debate....especially, that so many clamor for "Maple" syrup. I've certainly used syrup on French Toast, but have always adhered to the more ancient tradition, the use of a fruit topping, sometimes fresh or freshly cooked asa compote or the classic confitures/preserves, or, "Hard to Beat", a home-prepared syrup from fresh or frozen berries.

"Croque Monsieur" anyone?

I'm a little surprised at the number of posters who view "French Toast" as a "savory" dish.

[sigh :rolleyes: ]

There were three of us, IIRC (and if I can count ;) ).

Obviously, some folks just cannot tell the difference between French toast and French Scottish toast.

:p


More Scottish toasts:
http://www.rampantscotland.com/know/blknow_toasts.htm
(oops, that would be the plural)

Imagining French Toast as a savory dish causes me to recall one long ago raw morning in scenic Londonderry, when my ever accommodating hostess sent me on my way back to my ship with a sodden slab of stale bread poached in a skillet of rancid rasher renderings.

Yum!

It doesn't cost too much more to heat the syrup in Hawaii. ;)

I always heat the syrup - learned that from my mother. She also, as some have suggested above, sprinkled the French toast with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Then, butter and warm syrup! Yum!

Yes to the powdered sugar, no to the cinnamon. And you got me on the heat. :p

As for the "Croque Monsieur" question posed in another reply--depends on the monsieur one wishes to croque. :D