Here are some tips on how to make French toast that is crispy on the outside, not too soggy, and tastes delicious.

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This post is all about how to make the best French Toast.

Few things are better than a warm slice of French toast topped with butter, whipped cream, fruit, or warm maple syrup on a weekend morning.

French toast, sometimes known as eggy bread or pain perdu, is an easy recipe to make. Bread is dipped in a custard of eggs, milk, and spices, and then fried until it’s golden brown.

One of the best things about making French toast is that it is a great way to use ingredients that are commonly found around the home—day old bread, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, milk, and eggs.

These are ingredients that we often have in the pantry or refrigerator, so French toast is often on the menu.

French toast is filling, and it is a perfect dish for breakfast or brunch, lunch or dinner. Here are some tips on how to make great French toast at home.

What type of bread is best for making French toast?

French toast can be made using almost any type of bread, but thicker slices work best. We have found that using bread that is sliced about ½- to ¾-inch thick gives us the best results when it comes to using bread that doesn’t fall apart as soon as you dip it into the custard to make French toast.

One of the best things about making French toast from scratch is that it is a great way to use leftover bread.

The best bread to use for making French toast is one that is hearty and robust, with thick slices that are able to soak up the milk and egg custard and hold their shape in the skillet or on the griddle. Examples of bread used to make French toast include:

• Brioche bread. Buttery brioche bread makes delicious French toast.
• Challah bread. Challah bread is another great bread to use for making French toast.
• Texas toast. Restaurant or diner-style French toast is often made using Texas toast.
• Gluten free bread. Gluten free sandwich bread can also be used to make French toast. The bread made need less soaking time in the custard.

How do you keep French toast from getting soggy?

One way to keep French toast from getting soggy is to use the right type of bread.

Bread that is a few days old makes the best French toast. Fresh bread is often too soft and may crumble under the weight of the milk and egg mixture.

Look for hearty breads like brioche bread, challah bread, Texas toast, or even whole grain bread.

When making French toast, dip the bread quickly into the egg custard, just long enough to coat both sides but not so long that the bread becomes soggy. (The bread shouldn’t soak up the custard like a sponge.)

As soon as the bread is dipped and coated, transfer it to a hot skillet or griddle to cook.

Cook the French toast 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until the toast is golden brown. Use a spatula to gently press down on the bread to help the toast cook evenly.

How do you make French toast from scratch?

An egg and milk custard form the basis of making French toast from scratch. The egg and milk add richness to the bread.

Whisk the eggs and milk together thoroughly until the ingredients are well-blended. Otherwise, you may end up with white or yellow egg streaks coursing over the bread. Also, if the custard is not well-blended, this can result in the French toast tasting “egg-ier”.

You can use different types of milk to make French toast. Non-dairy milk, like almond milk or oat milk, are great for making French toast. Coconut milk adds a tropical twist—try serving the French toast with sliced fresh pineapple and mango. Or substitute eggnog for milk to give French toast a unique holiday flavor at Christmastime.

Using thick bread slices that are at least half an inch thick is one way to coat the bread without it tearing. You can use more thinly sliced of bread, like sandwich bread, but it helps if these are slightly stale or dried out before dipping the bread into the custard.

To make the custard, mix together eggs, milk, sugar, spices, salt, and vanilla extract. If you have a set of breading pans, then pour the custard into a breading pan to use for dipping the bread. Using a breading pan makes it easier to coat both sides of the bread easily. Breading pans

One of the fastest ways to make French toast, especially if you are making French toast for a crowd, is to use an electric griddle to cook the toast. A double-sided spatula can make it easier to flip the bread as it cooks.

Do I have to use vanilla extract when making French toast?

In this recipe, a small amount of vanilla extract is used to flavor the French toast.

But if you don’t have vanilla extract on hand, then other types of flavored extracts can be used. A ¼ teaspoon of almond extract or coconut extract can go a long way when flavoring the custard used to make French toast.

Using flavored milk is another great way to add flavor and variety to French toast. Use vanilla milk to add sweet flavor to your toast, or use coconut milk to add a tropical flavor to the toast.

Honey and ground spices also add flavors that make French toast taste interesting. Add a teaspoon or two of honey to the dipping custard, or add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice to add warm, spicy flavors to the mix.

How do you make French toast interesting?

Add toppings to your French toast for a wide variety of ways to make French toast interesting.

Some good toppings for French toast are:

• Sliced fresh fruit or berries, like strawberries, bananas, kiwi, or blueberries
• Canned pie filling, such as strawberry pie filling or blueberry pie filling
• Whipped cream
• Powdered sugar—Dust French toast lightly with powdered sugar to add subtle sweetness
• Butter
• Maple syrup

How long is French toast good in the refrigerator?

French toast can be refrigerated for up to 3 days when stored properly. Once the French toast is cooled, store it in a heavy duty storage bag or airtight container. Refrigerate the French toast within 2 hours of cooking.

French toast also freezes well. One way to store French toast for the freezer is to arrange the pieces on a baking sheet and place the baking sheet in the freezer until the individual slices are frozen.

Store the frozen French toast slices in a freezer bag or container until ready to eat. Use within a month for best quality.

To reheat French toast, place the toast on a plate, cover with a damp paper towel, and reheat for 10 to 15 seconds at a time until the bread is warmed through.

Recommended Tools

Here are some tools that can be useful for making French toast.

Electric Griddle

An electric griddle makes it easy to cook many slices of French toast at once. Perfect for tho

Stainless Steel Breading Pans

A must for the kitchen. We use these often for making French toast, and for coating and breading chicken, fish, and vegetables for making crispy Parmesan chicken, fish fry, or Japanese-style tempura. The flat-walled, shallow pans make it easy to coat foods quickly and evenly when using egg wash, sauces, or breading mixtures.

Double Spatula

Tired of trying to flip foods, only to have them slide off the spatula or slide over the side of the pan? A double spatula can provide a better grip, making it easier to turn foods as they cook.

How to Make Delicious French Toast–A Recipe

This recipe makes about 6 to 8 slices of delicious French toast using pantry ingredients and a flavorful egg-y custard.

This post was all about how to make French toast.

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credits

• Photo by Joseph Gonzalez / Unsplash
• Photos used for illustrative purposes only.

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