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| How to Make the Perfect French Toast |
French toast is a brunch staple. The basic recipe consists
of bread soaked in a mixture of beaten eggs and milk, which is then fried. Sounds
simple and really it is. When prepared properly French toast is a thick, slightly
sweetened slice of joy that is crunchy (even crispy) on the outside with a
velvety custard-like center. When done poorly it is soggy and under cooked on
the inside with little burned pieces of char on the outside, surrounded by
rubbery scrambled eggs with a sickeningly sweet start and an eggy, sulfuric
finish. I’m here to help.
The first step to making Perfect French Toast begins with
picking the right kind of bread. I prefer to use challah bread, but brioche is
also good. These breads are sturdy and don’t tend to fall apart when soaked in
the egg mixture. Always buy a whole loaf and then slice it at home. Use a
serrated knife to slice the bread into 1 to 1 ¼ inch portions. You can leave
the slices out for a while because dry bread will soak up more of the egg
mixture.
The egg mixture is the second step. The trick? Only use
yolks. I know that separating eggs is a pain. I also know that this requires
more eggs, more work and more time. The finished product will be worth the
trouble. Egg whites are responsible for the aftertaste of sulfur. Just save the
whites and make an egg white omelet for tomorrow’s brunch. Whisk the yolks with whole
milk. Let’s face it, this is not diet food. It is more like dessert for
breakfast, so use full fat milk. The fat helps make the custard fluffy. Trust
me. How many eggs? How much milk? I usually use 3 yolks and ¼ cup milk for 2
slices of toast. Remember the toast is thick. Make sure to whisk like crazy. You want the
custard to be custard and not scrambled eggs.
This next step is really a matter of personal taste. What
else should you add to the custard? If you plan to serve the toast with syrup
or fruit you can just add a pinch of salt and go for it. However, I know this
is supposed to be decadent. And I know everyone adds sugar. So, do that. Add
sugar. But use powdered sugar. Granulated sugar can burn and give you a charred
taste or cause the outside of the toast to cook before the inside is finished.
To give your toast a little flair, add in a splash of vanilla extract or a good
rum, bourbon or liqueur. Not too much or that will be all you can taste. Soak the
bread in the custard mixture. I put each piece into the bowl and sort of press
it down into the custard for 30 seconds and then flip it over and do the same thing on
the other side. Take the bread out of the custard and allow the excess to drip
back into the dish. You don’t want the bread to be dripping nor do you want any
part of it to be dry. Now we toast.
Before I start cooking the bread, I place a wire rack over a
cookie sheet and put that into a 250˚ oven. To fry the bread, you should use
both butter and light vegetable oil. The butter is for the taste and the
vegetable oil is to stop the butter from burning. Heat the fats in a cast iron or
other non-stick skillet over medium heat. If the skillet is too hot, the
outside will burn before the center is cooked. If the skillet is too cool, the
egg mixture will spread out and make an egg ‘foot’ around the toast. The foot
is the rubbery scrambled egg that surrounds not great French toast. When the
butter has completely melted lay the toast, sides not touching, into the pan.
Fry for 3-4 minutes or until the outside is golden and edges are just starting
to crisp. Flip and toast the other side. Place each finished piece of toast onto
the rack in the oven. The oven will keep the toast warm and the rack ensures
that both sides are crispy. Don’t leave the toast in the oven for too long,
however, or it will dry out. Wipe the pan out between slices of toast. If you
don’t the little bits of egg from the previous toast will burn and make your Perfect
French Toast into mediocre French toast that is covered in little, burned bits of
egg.
Now you have something special, the Perfect French Toast.
This toast is so rich, that usually I can only eat one slice. I’m lying to you.
I eat 2 slices and rest and come back for more. Before serving, I put powdered
sugar (and sometimes cinnamon) into a small strainer and tap it gently over the
toast. The sugar falls like sweet, powdery snow. Then I top the toast with fruit
and a little honey or whipped cream. Or I just pick up a piece and walk around the kitchen
eating it like a cookie. You do you. But try this. You'll never be willing to eat mediocre French toast again.
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| The Perfect French Toast |
