Beauty...
Be your own
kind of beautiful
Be your own
kind of beautiful
Christmas morning calls for decadence, but no one wants to be stuck in the kitchen while everyone’s opening presents. French toast is my go-to indulgence for days like this. It’s simple, filling, and as Brooks would say, it’s Yum Yum!
My French Toast recipes will satisfy both of your cravings – the desire for an AH-mazing breakfast, but one that’s quick and easy, getting you back into the living room and by the tree as soon as possible.
Below are two of my fav, fav, fav recipes, but don’t be afraid to add on different ingredients. Brooks likes putting fruit on the sides like blueberries, bananas, or strawberries, depending on the season. Don’t be too precious. After awhile you can do this with your eyes closed. Just remember the tips. And maple syrup is fine. I like adding it to the side of the plate in case people like more or less. Also, a little powdered sugar never hurt anything.
Beat together egg, milk, salt, desired spices and vanilla. Heat a lightly oiled griddle of skillet over medium-high flame. Dunk each slice of bread in egg mixture, soaking both sides. Place in pan, and cook on both sides until golden. Serve hot.
Choose the right bread. French toast is like bread pudding–it soaks up a custard for a creamy texture on the inside, and a slightly crunchy texture on the outside. If the bread is too thin, it will be too flimsy to hold together when dipped in the custard. If it’s too thick, it will never cook to the center. The ideal thickness for a slice of French toast is 3/4-1-inch thick. And make sure to pick a kind of bread that’s both spongy and sturdy enough not to fall apart during cooking. Brioche or challah–or even a croissant–is ideal, which is why you see them on brunch menus so often. I LOVE CHALLAH AND IT IS SO EASY!!!!!!!!
Soak the bread for at least a minute but don’t go overboard with the milk. If there’s too much, the egg in the mixture won’t cook, meaning wet, soggy, bread.
Preheat the pan. If the pan isn’t hot enough when you put your first slice in, the custard spreads out, forming a foot on the bottom of the French toast. When the pan is hot enough, the batter won’t have time to seep–the eggs will start cooking as soon as they hit it.
Use butter and a non stick cooking spray. Give the pan a light coating of nonstick spray, then add the butter. This will help prevent the butter from burning. And make sure to wipe out the pan after every batch, then use a fresh combination of cooking spray and butter. Otherwise, the butter will burn and little black bits will stick to the next batch of French toast.
Heat oven to 200 degrees F (93C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Slide baking sheet into oven. (It is best to make Frenchtoast in batches, so this is to keep cooked batches warm while the rest are cooked).Whisk eggs, milk, cream, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt together until well blended. Line bread slices up in a large baking dish (it is okay if they overlap). Pour egg mixture over bread slices then move and flip the bread around so each slice is completely moistened with the egg mixture. Continue to move the slices around in the egg mixture until the bread has soaked it all up. Melt a tablespoon of butter in a heavy, large pan or griddle over medium-low heat. Working in batches, transfer a few slices of the soaked bread to the pan and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer cooked French toast to warm oven while you cook the remaining bread slices. Add additional butter as needed for each batch.
