Best 2 Classic French Toast Recipes

Classic French toast, a beloved breakfast dish with a rich history, offers a harmonious blend of flavors and textures that has captivated taste buds for generations. Its preparation involves a simple yet masterful process of dipping sliced bread into a custard mixture, typically made from eggs, milk, and spices, and then gently cooking it in butter until golden brown. The result is a culinary delight that combines the crispy exterior with the soft and tender interior, perfectly complemented by sweet toppings like maple syrup, fresh berries, or whipped cream. As you embark on your quest to find the best recipe for classic French toast, uncover the secrets of selecting the ideal bread, perfecting the custard mixture, and mastering the art of cooking to achieve the ultimate French toast experience.

Here are our top 2 tried and tested recipes!

CLASSIC FRENCH TOAST

Classic French Toast image

Any dense bread such as challah, brioche, or sourdough will work for this simple French toast recipe.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories Food & Cooking Breakfast & Brunch Recipes Bread Recipes

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
6 slices (1-inch-thick) bread, preferably day old
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Pure maple syrup, for serving (optional)

Steps:

Whisk together eggs, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
Place bread in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold bread slices in a single layer. Pour egg mixture over bread; soak 10 minutes. Turn slices over; soak until soaked through, about 10 minutes more.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet, and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry half the bread slices until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to wire rack; place in oven while cooking remaining bread. Wipe skillet, and repeat with remaining butter, oil, and bread. Keep in oven until ready to serve. Serve warm with pure maple syrup, if desired.

CLASSIC FRENCH TOAST

Classic French Toast image

There are just a few keys to making great French toast: Use stale bread (fresh tends to fall apart), make sure the bread is sliced at least 3/4-inch thick (it helps maximize soaking for a custardy interior) and watch your soaking time (a shorter time equals a slightly drier toast, a longer time yields a more custardy one).

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 1h5m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

8 slices Texas Toast or other 3/4-inch-sliced white bread
8 large eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons butter
Confectioners' sugar, for serving
Maple syrup, for serving

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Lay the bread slices in one layer (it's OK if they overlap a little) on a baking sheet. Bake the slices (to dry them out a little) for 6 minutes, then flip and bake for 6 minutes more. Set aside to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees F.
Whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, granulated sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt in a large casserole dish.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low to medium heat. Place 2 slices of bread in the egg mixture. Let the bread completely soak in the egg mixture on both sides, about 30 seconds to 1 minute total, checking after 15 seconds. (Bread should feel heavy and soaked through but hold its shape without breaking apart.) Melt a tablespoon of butter in the skillet and add the 2 soaked slices; cook until the outside is golden brown and crisp and the inside is cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. You will need to watch and adjust the temperature between medium and medium-low if the bread is browning too quickly or not browning fast enough. Keep finished French toast slices warm on a rack nested in a rimmed baking sheet in the oven. Repeat with the remaining slices.
Serve with a dusting of confectioners' sugar and drizzle of maple syrup.

Tips:

Use stale bread for the best results. Stale bread absorbs the egg mixture more evenly, resulting in a more consistent and flavorful French toast.
For a richer flavor, use a mixture of milk and cream in the egg mixture.
Add a pinch of salt and sugar to the egg mixture to enhance the flavor.
Dip the bread in the egg mixture for a few seconds on each side, or until it is evenly coated.
Cook the French toast over medium heat in a lightly greased pan. This will help to prevent the bread from burning.
Flip the French toast once, when the bottom is golden brown and the top is starting to bubble.
Serve the French toast immediately with your favorite toppings, such as butter, syrup, fruit, or whipped cream.