← All recipes

French toast

Main · European

French toast

Thick bread soaked in vanilla and cinnamon custard, fried golden in butter.

30 min Serves 4 European Kid friendly

French toast is thick bread soaked in a sweet egg and milk custard with vanilla and cinnamon, then fried in butter until golden and crisp outside and soft inside. It is a good use for bread that is a day or two old, which soaks up the custard without falling apart.

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs
  • 200 ml milk
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 8 slices white bread, thick-cut brioche or day-old white bread, about 2cm thick
  • 40 g butter
  • 200 g mixed berries, fresh or frozen, to serve (optional)
  • 4 tbsp maple syrup, to serve

Method

  1. In a wide, shallow dish, whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt until no streaks of egg white are left. The custard should be smooth, so every slice soaks up the same flavour.
  2. Switch the oven to its lowest setting, about 60°C (50°C fan), with a baking tray inside, to keep the first slices warm. Put a large frying pan over a medium heat and add about 10g of the butter. Wait until it melts and starts to foam, about 1 minute; a hot pan crisps the outside before the middle turns soggy.
  3. Lay two slices of bread in the egg mixture for 10 to 15 seconds a side, until soaked through but still holding their shape. Day-old bread soaks up more without falling apart. Lift them out and let the excess drip back into the dish.
  4. Fry the slices until deep golden and crisp underneath, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook until the other side is golden too, about 2 minutes. Press the middle: it should feel springy, not soft and wet, which means the egg has cooked through.
  5. Move the cooked slices to the tray in the oven. Repeat with the rest of the bread in three more batches, adding a little butter each time. If the butter turns dark brown, take the pan off the heat, wipe it with kitchen paper and put it back before the next batch.
  6. Serve two slices each while they are hot and crisp, with the berries scattered over (if using) and the maple syrup poured on at the table.

Tips

  • Day-old bread or brioche works best; fresh bread turns soggy.
  • Fry over a medium heat, so the outside browns while the custard inside cooks through.
  • Keep finished slices warm on a tray in a low oven while you fry the rest.

Common questions

What is the best bread for French toast?

Thick-cut brioche or a day-old white loaf, about 2cm thick. It holds the custard and stays soft inside.

Why is my French toast soggy in the middle?

The heat was too high, so the outside browned before the middle set, or the bread soaked too long. Use a medium heat and press the middle to check it springs back.