Goal: French toast that was crisp and buttery on the outside, soft and custardlike on the inside, with well-balanced flavor.

Solution: Use challah bread, and add flour and butter to the egg-milk mixture.

FRENCH TOAST I (FOR CHALLAH OR SANDWICH BREAD)

Makes 4 to 5 slices from challah or 6 to 8 slices from sandwich bread

Though thick-sliced challah is best for French toast, you can substitute high-quality, presliced sandwich bread. Flipping challah is easiest with tongs, but a spatula works best with sandwich bread. To speed the cooking of large quantities, heat two or more skillets to brown a few batches at once. To vary the flavor of the batter, add three-quarters of a teaspoon of ground cinnamon or one-half teaspoon of ground nutmeg with the dry ingredients, or substitute almond extract for the vanilla.

1 large egg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for frying
3/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4–5 3/4-inch-thick slices day-old challah bread or 6 to 8 slices day-old sandwich bread

1. Heat 10- to 12-inch skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat egg lightly in shallow pan or pie plate; whisk in butter, then milk and vanilla, and finally sugar, flour, and salt, continuing to whisk until smooth. Soak bread without oversaturating, about 40 seconds per side for challah or 30 seconds per side for sandwich bread. Pick up bread and allow excess batter to drip off; repeat with remaining slices.

2. Swirl 1 tablespoon butter in hot skillet. Transfer prepared bread to skillet; cook until golden brown, about 1 minute 45 seconds on first side and 1 minute on the second. Serve immediately. Continue, adding 1 tablespoon butter to skillet for each new batch.

FRENCH TOAST II (FOR FIRM EUROPEAN-STYLE BREAD)

Makes 4 to 8 slices, depending on the loaf

Less flour in this recipe allows the batter to penetrate more easily into the denser bread.

1 large egg
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4–8 3/4-inch-thick slices day-old firm European-style bread such as French or Italian
Unsalted butter to grease skillet (about 1 tablespoon per batch)

Follow recipe instructions for French Toast I, omitting melted butter in batter, soaking each bread slice about 30 seconds per side, and cooking bread about 2 minutes on the first side and 1 minute 15 seconds on the second.

May, 1997
Original article and recipes by Sharon Barrett

 
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