French Toast
About this recipe
French toast is a classic breakfast dish that's both easy to make and delicious. This recipe from Binging with Babish takes a straightforward approach while offering options to elevate your toast game with different custard variations.
Whether you prefer the classic or want to try a fancy custard with added richness, this recipe has you covered. Plus, the use of thick slices of bread ensures a satisfying texture that pairs perfectly with maple syrup.
Ingredient notes
- For the bread, you can use thick slices of white country loaf, challah, brioche, or chocolate babka.
- For the fancy custard, you can substitute whole milk with Half & Half or heavy cream.
- You can swap out the two large eggs in the classic custard for three to four egg yolks for a richer flavor.
Tips from Binging with Babish’s video
- Let the bread dry out overnight or use the oven at its lowest temperature for 15-20 minutes to achieve the right texture before soaking it in custard.
- Soak the bread in the custard for 20-30 seconds on each side to ensure it's fully saturated but not falling apart.
- After frying, let the French toast rest on a wire rack in a warm oven to keep it crisp while you cook the remaining pieces.
Good to know
- How many servings does this recipe make?
- This recipe serves 4.
- What is the total time required to make this French toast?
- The total time to make this French toast is 1 hour.
- What type of bread is best for French toast?
- The best types of bread for French toast include thick slices of white country loaf, challah, brioche, or chocolate babka.
- How long should I soak the bread in the custard?
- You should soak the bread in the custard for 20-30 seconds on each side.
No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Binging with Babish: watch the original on YouTube.
The recipe
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Cut your bread of choice into thick slices and place onto a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Leave out overnight uncovered, or preheat the oven to its lowest temperature and place the bread in for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- 2
In a large bowl, combine 1 ½ cups of whole milk, 2 large eggs, 3-4 tablespoons of granulated white sugar, 1-2 teaspoons of real vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon each of ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk together until combined and no streaks of egg remain.
- 3
For fancy french toast custard, in a large bowl combine 1 ½ cups of Half & Half or heavy cream, 3-4 egg yolks, 3-4 tablespoons of dark brown sugar, 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla paste or one scraped vanilla bean, ½ teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg, the zest of a lemon or orange, and a splash of bourbon, rum, or brandy. Whisk together until fully combined.
- 4
Pour the custard into a cake pan or pie plate. Grab a piece of thickly cut bread and drop it into the custard, letting it sit for 20-30 seconds on each side.
- 5
Heat 2 tablespoons of melted butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the soaked bread to the skillet and let it fry for 3-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
- 6
Place onto a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet in a 350°F oven while you cook all of the pieces.
- 7
Once every piece of toast is complete, stack on a plate, topped with butter and maple syrup.
- 8
For a tangy butter for the chocolate babka, whip together 8 ounces of room temperature cream cheese with 3 tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of salt.
Heads up — we had to guess a little:
- The quantity for 'handful of pecans' was inferred as about 1/2 cup based on typical use.
Credit where it’s due: this recipe was transcribed from Binging with Babish’s original video on YouTube. Follow them there — it’s their dish.
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