This sweet French toast is great for an indulgent breakfast or brunch. Comfort food at its best with delicious spongy bread cooked in a moreish batter.
French toast is unlikely to have originated in France, most cuisines have some form of egg soaked bread. There are many names for French toast: eggy bread, gypsy bread, pain perdu, Bombay toast and lost bread are just a few examples. The original intention was to use up leftover bread.
I grew up with eggy bread, simply bread dipped in egg and fried. For me French toast is a bit more indulgent, it can even be eaten as a dessert.
Ingredients for French Toast
Basic French toast is bread, egg with a little milk cooked in butter. The milk makes it creamer and provides a milder egg taste. Cooking in butter makes the toast much crisper.
The Bread
You can use any bread but you want a dense bread or day old because you need it to hold together when soaked in the batter. I like to use brioche for this sweet recipe but I have a sweet tooth. You could use sourdough if you want less sweetness.
Sweet French Toast
To make the French toast special we add the vanilla essence and sugar.
The sugar helps to bring out the vanilla flavour. Using the butter for frying also makes it a bit more decadent.
French Toast Batter
The batter is very easy to make. You want to lightly beat the eggs and milk together and mix in the sugar, vanilla essence and a pinch of salt.
You want to put the batter into a flat bottomed dish that you can place a slice of bread in to soak. I like to use my Pyrex dish for this.
I would soak each side of the bread for about 20 seconds.
How to Cook French Toast
You want your frying pan on a moderate heat. Butter is the ingredient that provides the crispy edges to the toast.
Place the butter in the pan, once it is melted and foaming then you can place your toast in the pan. You want the toast to be golden before you turn to cook the other side. You want the edges to be crispy but the bread to still be soft. A couple of minutes on each side is usually enough. How long it will take does depend on how hot your pan is and the size of the bread. Be careful not to leave it in too long as this will dry out the bread.
Toppings
You want to serve the French toast warm. You can serve with any of your favourite toppings, these are some of my suggestions:
- maple syrup
- cinnamon or nutmeg
- icing sugar
- caramelised fruit such as banana or pineapple
- fruit compote
- crème fraiche
- cream
A simple dusting of icing sugar is one of my favourite toppings.
A nice seasonal touch is cinnamon. You can add flavourings such as cinnamon and nutmeg to the batter as well as a topping.
My husband loves a bit of butter and maple syrup but I prefer something a little lighter such as strawberries and crème fraiche.
The Recipe
Print Recipe
French Toast
Ingredients
- 4 slices Brioche bread
- 2 Eggs
- 2 tbsp Milk
- 1 tbsp Caster sugar
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- pinch of Salt
- Butter for cooking
Instructions
- Mix the eggs with the milk, sugar, salt and vanilla extract until the sugar has dissolved.
- Place the batter in a flat based bowl large enough for a slice of bread.
- Place a slice of bread in the batter to soak and turn to ensure it is covered on both sides.
- Place a frying pan on a moderate heat. Add a small knob of butter to the pan.
- As the butter is melted and foaming place the bread in the pan. Once golden with the edges starting to crisp turn and repeat on the other side.
- Serve warm with your choice of topping
What is your ideal topping for French Toast?
