French Toast is everybody’s favorite but there’s very little French about it since French Toast is adapted across the world in different varieties and has earned different names such as Bombay Toast, German Toast, Gypsy Toast, etc. Whatever variation it’s made in, French Toast is the perfect Breakfast, Brunch, or Snack that’s not only delicious and filling; but can be used to make some amazing delicacies.
Essentially, French Toast involves soaking Bread in a blend of Milk and Eggs and frying it to produce an amazingly sweet and crispy combination. Although it was originally a very basic recipe, now you will find hundreds of varieties of French Toast that combine unique ingredients. Although the method of making French Toast is fairly simple; by adding special flavors, you can produce the best snack or treat for your kids, friends, or family. French Toast varieties also make excellent restaurant menu items.
A little into the origins of French Toast and how you can make a fairly authentic one. It’s not certain that French Toast originated from France however, there are endless possibilities to turn this simple recipe into a sweet dish or savory. Different French Toast recipes recommend different ways to slice the bread, toppings, and cooking styles which have transformed French Toast from just being a simple breakfast food to a meal in itself.
Most people wonder whether French Toast is really French and delve into its history and origin. But the wise know that understanding it is eating it. If you want to make a unique, delicious, and authentic French Toast for yourself or anybody else for that matter; you’ve made the right cooking choice. So instead of delving into the history and origins of French Toast, here are some of the most popular French Toast Recipes that are either simple or slightly more complicated but guaranteed to appeal to all.
A crispy French Toast drizzled with honey or maple syrup is the best choice for a brunch or get-together with friends or family since everyone will like it including the kids. While the very first French Toasts are said to have arrived from the Roman Empire, its widespread popularity is elevated owing to the fact that you need very few ingredients to make a basic French toast and you have complete freedom to make it truly extraordinary. French Toast is generally made with bread that’s at least a day old. This trick is used to ensure that the bread is firmer and is less likely to crack or dissolve in the egg and milk mixture and can better hold it resulting in a crispier French Toast.
It may come as a surprise to know that French Toast was invented as a means of making something wonderful out of stale bread to reduce wastage. Nevertheless, modern French Toasts are definitely not made from stale bread and are so advanced that chefs and restaurants are especially dedicated to making them. American French Toasts are the most modern and popular versions and are drenched in maple syrup or honey. Below are 10 easy and delicious ways to prepare French Toast:
1. Spongy French Toast:
Why make an ordinary French Toast when you can make a soft and spongy one that kids will adore and that will work wonders on your taste buds. The difference between a normal French Toast and the Spongy French Toast is that Flour is used to make the bread spongier and springier, giving you the feeling of eating a pastry or cake.
To make the Spongy French Toast, you will need:
• Flour – ¼ cup
• Milk – 1 Cup
• Salt
• Eggs – 3
• Cinnamon – Half a Teaspoon, ground
• Vanilla Extract – 1 Teaspoon
• White Sugar – 1Tablespoon
• Bread – 12 thick slices
Take a mixing bowl and add flour while whisking in milk, salt, eggs, Cinnamon, Vanilla Extract, and Sugar. Whisk until its smooth. Soak bread slices in this mixture and fry each of them in a girdle that’s lightly oiled and kept under medium heat. Once ready, you can garnish your Spongy French Toast with Chocolate or Maple Syrup and sprinkle sugar dust. You could also slice fruits and place as per choice. The spongy French Toast will be appreciated by all and takes just 30 minutes to be ready. Flour is the secret ingredient here that provides the fluff by thickening the egg mixture.
2. Authentic French Toast:
This is the classic French toast recipe without any dramatic additions. This recipe is simple and straightforward. Ingredients required for the Classic French Toast recipe include:
• Eggs – 6
• Pure Vanilla Extract – 2 Tablespoons
• Ground Nutmeg
• 6 slices of Bread – At least one-day-old.
• Vegetable Oil – 4 Tablespoons
• Cinnamon – ½ Teaspoon, Ground
• Salt
• Unsalted Butter – 4 Tablespoons
• Maple Syrup
To prepare the classic French Toast, you can use any kind of bread including Challah, Brioche, or Sourdough.
The method of preparation begins by taking a medium sized bowl and whisking together the eggs, cream, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Salt. Leave this mixture aside to rest.
Now take a shallow baking dish and place the bread slices in a single layer. Pour the whisked mixture of the slices until they’re thoroughly soaked through. Turn over the slices to ensure maximum soak-through. Let it rest for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 250 degrees and place a wire rack on a baking sheet.
Place a skillet over medium heat and heat together 2 tablespoons of Butter with 2 Tablespoons of Vegetable Oil. Fry the bread until they turn golden brown, after which they need to go into the wire rack and keep them there until they’re cooked through and ready. Once done, garnish and decorate with syrup, fruits, etc. and serve hot. This is a fail-proof French Toast recipe and very close to the original. You can adjust the flavor and ingredients according to taste and preference. For instance, if 2 Tablespoons of the Vanilla Extract feels like it’s too strong, use just 1 Tablespoon. Use thick, good quality bread to achieve thickness and crispness. Also, use medium sized bread. Large pieces may be too soft for the oven and may crumble. This hot, crispy, classic French Toast recipe is perfect for breakfast on a lazy, rainy day.
3. Pumpkin Bread French Toast:
Who said French Toast had to be made from some plain old bread? Pumpkin Bread elevates the flavor of French Toast and will taste even more delicious than ordinary French Toast. Find Pumpkin Bread with ingrained nuts and raisins for better tasting French Toast. You can either prepare your own Pumpkin Bread or purchase it from the store. In the following recipe, we will prepare the Pumpkin Bread and then make French Toast.
The ingredient list is as follows:
• Butter – (Unsalted, Room Temperature)
• Flour – 1 ¾ cup
• Kosher Salt
• Baking Soda – 1 Teaspoon
• Baking Powder – ½ Teaspoon
• Allspice – ½ Teaspoon, Ground
• Cinnamon – Ground
• Nutmeg – ½ Teaspoon, Ground
• Cloves – ½ Teaspoon, Ground
• Confectioners’ Sugar
• Vegetable Oil – ¼ Cup
• Pumpkin Puree – Unsweetened
• Eggs – 2
• Milk – ½ Cup
• Pure Maple Syrup – 2 Tablespoons
• Dried Fruits – Cranberries and Golden Raisins
Method:
Crank up and pre-heat your oven to 350°F and grease a loaf pan. Take Flour, Salt, Baking Powder, Allspice, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Cloves.
Take a stand mixer bowl with a paddle attachment and add a mixture of 4 Tablespoons of Butter, Sugar, and Vegetable Oil into it. Set to medium speed and mix the combination thoroughly while constantly scraping the bottom to include what’s stuck. Continue mixing until you reach a fluffy consistency.
To this mixture, add Pumpkin and mix well. Add eggs, one after the other while mixing thoroughly again. Next, add the flour mixture and mix. Once this batter is thoroughly mixed and ready, pour it into the loaf pan and cook for about 60 to 75 minutes, or until it’s baked inside out. Let it cool.
Now we move on to making the French Toast with the Pumpkin Bread. First, preheat the oven to 300°F. Make 10 slices out of the Pumpkin Bread and lay them out on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the oven for about 10 minutes. During baking, flip the bread in between and wait until the bread is dry.
Next, separately whisk eggs, milk, pumpkin, Maple Syrup, Salt, and Cinnamon. Wait until the bread has cooled before you take a pan and melt butter in it. Now, dip the bread into the egg mixture and place it into the pan to cook until its golden brown. Garnish with Confectioners’ sugar, Cranberries, and Golden Raisins.
4. Coconut French Toast:
For tropical lovers, this coconut French toast will be the most exciting thing you bite into in a very long time. When the coconut is combined with the crispy, sweet, and soft combination of French toast; your taste buds are elevated and you can enjoy your breakfast or brunch feeling royal. The idea behind a Coconut flavored Tropical French Toast is to make a mouth-watering taste of the crispy and caramelized with a creamy feel. There are many ways in which you can add the Coconut flavor to your French Toast, either by using shredded coconut, or by using coconut extract, or by making a special coconut glaze to add on top of the French Toast. Let’s begin making the Coconut French Toast by gathering the ingredients as per the following list:
• Eggs – 6
• Whole Milk – 1 Cup
• Sugar – ¼ Cup
• Vanilla – 1 Teaspoon
• Coconut Extract
• Bread – 8 Slices
• Shredded Coconut – 2 Cups
Start by mixing together the eggs, whole milk, sugar, Vanilla, and the Coconut, and beating them together. Now take a pan and heat it on medium flame. Thoroughly soak bread slices in the mixture we just prepared taking care not to dip them too long or too less to obtain the right consistency. Roll the soaked bread in Coconut Flakes. Before you place on the pan to fry, remember to grease the pan and turn down the heat and slight notch. Now your bread is ready to be fried. Place them one by one on the pan and adjust the heat so that they’re perfectly fried without getting burned. Since the coconut burns easily, you will need to be extra cautious. Fry both sides of the bread until you feel like they’re ready. Once your Coconut French Toast is ready, don’t forget to decorate and garnish using Maple Syrup, Fruits, and Powdered Sugar before they’re graced by hungry mouths.
5. Death by Chocolate French Toast:
Combine delectable chocolate with French Toast and it truly becomes a divine death for those enjoying this mouth-watering French Toast style. Chocolate is a universal favorite and makes the children go berserk. Making a Death by Chocolate French Toast is a smart dessert idea and an excellent, easy recipe for parties. Combine this Toast with some nuts and ice cream, and you have a heavenly dessert ready in under 30 minutes. To make the Death by Chocolate French Toast get the items on this ingredient list:
• Chocolate Chips – 1 ½ cup
• Heavy Cream – ½ Cup
• Eggs – 4
• Chocolate Milk – 1 Cup
• Pure Vanilla Extract – 1 Teaspoon
• Cocoa Powder – 1 Tablespoon
• Kosher Salt – A pinch
• Brioche – 1 Loaf
• Unsalted Butter – 2 Tablespoons
• Whipped Cream
We will begin by preparing the Chocolate Ganache. Heat Heavy Cream over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Pour this hot cream over chocolate chips and whisk them together until you get a smooth consistency. Let it cool for some time and transfer this Chocolate Ganache to a zip-lock bag.
The next step is to mix together eggs, chocolate milk, Vanilla Extract, Cocoa Powder, and Salt and whisk thoroughly to form a nice mixture. Create slits in the bread to form pockets that you need to fill with the Chocolate Ganache you just prepared. Soak this Chocolate Ganache stuffed mixture in the mix. Fry the bread slices on medium heat until they turn golden brown.
When your Death by Chocolate French Toast is piping hot and ready, transform it into a stunning dessert by garnishing with whipped cream and chocolate chips.
6. Apple Cinnamon French Toast:
When it comes to French toast, you need not restrict yourself and you have the freedom to explore new flavours. Apples and Cinnamon are a popular combination when combined with French Toast resulting in a to-die-for treat.
The total time needed to make this dessert cum breakfast recipe is less than 20 minutes. Here is the ingredient list for preparation of the Apple and Cinnamon French Toast:
• Apples – 2
• Brown Sugar – ¾ Cup
• Butter – 4 Tablespoons
• Vanilla – ¼ Teaspoon
• Cinnamon – ½ Teaspoon
• White Bread – 6 Slices
• Eggs – 2
• Milk – ½ Cup
• Flour – 1/3 Cup
In a pan, cook apple slices, brown sugar, and butter on medium heat until the sugar and butter have melted. Now add Vanilla and Cinnamon to the pan and let it simmer for about 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and let it rest.
In a separate bowl, combine Eggs, Vanilla, Milk, and Cinnamon, and whisk them together. Dip the bread slices in this and fry them. Drench the toast in the Apple-Cinnamon mix and garnish with powdered sugar. Your Apple Cinnamon French Toast is ready to be served.
7. Roll-Up French Toast:
What better way to customize a boring French Toast than to roll it up and serve for hands to grab. French Toast Rolls make for quick snacks and will be a tasty and healthy choice for kids’ lunch boxes. Besides, you can do away with knives and forks while feasting on Toast Rolls. The French Toast Rolls are made like any other Toast but are rolled up instead of being served as dessert. Of course, you can personalize it by choosing unique garnish.
To make French Toast Rolls, you will need:
• Bread – 8 slices
• Eggs – 2
• Milk – 3 Tablespoons
• Sugar – 1/3 Cup
• Cinnamon – 1 Teaspoon, Ground
• Butter
• Cream Cheese
• Cherry Pie Filling – Canned
• Sliced Apples
• Peanut Butter
• Sliced Bananas
Once you’ve gathered all the ingredients, let’s jump right into preparing our Toast Rolls:
Get rid of the crusts from the bread and use a rolling pin to flatten the bread slices. Prepare a filling by combining cream cheese, Fruit, Peanut Butter according to your preference. Once you’ve applied filling to the bread, roll it up. When all the bread slices are filled and rolled up, combine eggs and milk separately and thoroughly beat and whisk them together. Now, take sugar and cinnamon and mix them together as well.
In a skillet, coat and melt butter by placing the skillet on medium heat. Dip the French Toast Rolls in the egg mixture and fry in the skillet. Once they’re cooked properly, take them out of the pan and coat them in the Cinnamon Sugar mixture. Your Toast Rolls are ready to be served.
8. Texas French Toast:
This Toast incorporates Texan flavors and is a truly unique taken on a simple French Toast. Whenever you’re feeling like being extra creative and impressing friends or family with your divine cooking skills, whip out this recipe and watch them stare in wonder at this restaurant style Toast. To make a Texas Toast, you will need to make a Caramel Sauce followed by the toast itself. Here’s your ingredient list:
• Unsalted Butter – 1 Cup
• Brown Sugar – 2 Cups
• Cinnamon – ¼ Teaspoon, Ground + 1/8 Teaspoon (for toast)
• Orange Juice – ½ Cup
• Dark Rum – ¼ Cup
• Crème de Banana Liqueur
• Bananas – 3
• Thick Bread – 6 Slices
• Eggs – 3
• Whole Milk – 1/3 Cup
• Heavy Cream – 1/3 Cup
• Pure Vanilla Extract – ¼ Teaspoon
• Orange-flavoured Liqueur – ¼ Teaspoon
• Sea Salt – 1/8 Teaspoon
Once you’re equipped with all the items on the ingredient list, get ready to make your Texas Toast by following these steps:
Take a saucepan and place it over a medium flame. To this, melt butter and add Brown Sugar. Help the Sugar dissolve in the saucepan by constant stirring. Now add Cinnamon and Orange Juice and simmer this mixture. Turn off the flame and add rum and creme de banana. Turn on the heat again.
Next, take a pastry brush and brush the sides of the pan with some water. Finally turn off the heat for good and remove the pan from the stove.
Now take a smaller saute pan and add a quarter cup of Caramel Sauce along with Bananas. Sauté this mix until it reaches a warm consistency. Make sure this Caramel Sauce and Banana mix is not allowed to cool down before you fry your Toast.
We come to the Toast part. Take a bowl and mix together the eggs, milk, Heavy Cream, Vanilla Extract, Orange Flavoured Liqueur, Sea Salt, and Cinnamon and mix thoroughly until a smooth batter is formed. Fry each bread slice by soaking in this mixture and pour caramel sauce over the ready toast. Garnish with bananas as well.
9. French Toast Souffle:
A Toast Souffle adds a touch of elegance to an ordinary French Toast and will definitely appeal to friends and family irrespective of age or gender. Let’s get started with making a Toast Souffle, you will need:
• White Bread Cubes– 16 Slices
• Cooking Spray
• Cream Cheese
• Eggs – 8
• Milk – 1 ½ Cups
• Half- and Half – 2/3 Cup
• Maple Syrup – ½ Cup
• Vanilla Extract – ½ Teaspoon
• Powdered Sugar – 2 Tablespoons
• Maple Syrup – ¾ Cup
Follow the below steps to make your Toast Soufflé:
Coat a Baking Dish with Cooking Spray and arrange the bread cubes in it. Now add cream cheese to the mixer and add the eggs one after the other while mixing on medium speed. Next, add milk, half-and-half, ½ Cup of Maple Syrup, and Vanilla. Mix everything together until a smooth consistency is obtained. Now pour this cream cheese mixture over the bread cubes and place the baking dish in the refrigerator to freeze all night.
Once you get your frozen bread cubes, pre-heat your oven to 375°. Let the iced cubes rest for some time outside before you pop them into the oven. 30 minutes of outside time will suffice. Bake the bread for 50 minutes. Use Maple Syrup and Powdered Sugar to garnish.