Custardy French Toast Recipes

FRENCH TOAST CUSTARD

Steps:

• Brush both sides of bread with butter; place in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. In a large bowl, beat eggs and yolks. Add milk, cream, sugar, vanilla and nutmeg; mix well. Pour over the bread slices. Cover and chill overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before serving. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.

CUSTARD-STYLE FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• *You can cut the brown sugar in half and replace with 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs until no whites are showing and set aside
• **If your bread is fresh, cut it and leave it out on the counter the night before
• This will dry out your bread and prevent soggy toast when finished
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, milk, sugars, cinnamon and nutmeg until well incorporated, then whisk in eggs
• You may do this the night before
• Preheat oven to 200°F
• Dip bread into mixture and soak for about 20 seconds on each side
• Remove slices to a cooling rack set into a sheet pan and let sit for 1-2 minutes
• Over medium heat, melt 1/2 tablespoon of butter and 1/2 tablespoon of oil in a 10-inch nonstick sauté pan
• Place 2 slices of bread at a time into the pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 2 minutes per side
• Remove from pan and place on a sheet pan in oven
• Repeat with all 10 slices
• Serve immediately with maple syrup, whipped cream, and/or fruit

CUSTARDY FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Directions for immediate French Toast: Yield 8 slices.
• Beat eggs, milk, sugar, salt, extracts and cinnamon in a large bowl with a spout. Beat only until well-combined but not excessively frothy.
• Strain the egg mixture into an 8" x 8" pan to dip the bread into. Straining the mixture removes any egg whites not incorporated into the custard.
• Heat butter in a skillet large enough to handle four slices of bread. When butter begins to sizzle, lay all four slices of bread in the pan. Allow to soak for 10 seconds, flip over the slices, and continue to turn the slices onto each side until you can feel the weight increase but the bread still holds it's shape.
• Lay each slice into the hot pan and cook on each side at least 4 minutes before turning, so the egg custard sets up in the bread and doesn't tear when turned.
• Flip over to the other side when first side is golden brown. Serve immediately with maple syrup, honey, powdered sugar or preserves. Repeat with additional four slices.
• Directions for Over-Night French Toast:.
• Arrange the 6-8 bread slices in a 9" x 13" pan, or use 4 slices in an 8" x 8" pan, using 1/2 of the custard for the next day. Beat eggs, milk, sugar, salt, extract and cinnamon in a bowl with a spout. Beat only until combined, not until it's frothy.
• Using a strainer, strain the custard mixture over the sliced bread; turn once, to make sure that the bread is well coated. Cover, refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the bread is puffed up and slightly golden brown. Cut into slices and serve with topping of your choice.

OVERNIGHT FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Place bread slices in a generously greased 9x13-inch baking dish, overlapping the slices.
• Place eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl and mix thoroughly with a rotary beater or whisk. Pour mixture over bread, making sure all slices are moistened. Cover and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.

FRENCH TOAST CUSTARD CASSEROLE FOR 1

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Lightly coat the interior of 1 oven-proof bowl with cooking spray.(try a soup bowl with a handle or any baking dish that is about 4" across and 2" deep).
• Trim bread slices to a shape and size that will fit the bowl.
• In another larger bowl, whisk egg and milk, then place bread slices in egg mixture until liquid is absorbed.
• Combine nuts and syrup in the bottom of the ovenproof bowl, and dot the surface with the butter.
• Place the soaked bread slices on top---they should not reach past the lip of the bowl.
• Place bowl on a baking sheet to prevent drips, and place in the preheated oven.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until top is lightly browned and center is firm.
• Remove from oven and allow to set for about 10 minutes.
• Invert bowl onto a plate, remove bowl and serve.

CLASSIC FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Whisk together eggs, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Place bread in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold bread slices in a single layer. Pour egg mixture over bread; soak 10 minutes. Turn slices over; soak until soaked through, about 10 minutes more.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet, and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry half the bread slices until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to wire rack; place in oven while cooking remaining bread. Wipe skillet, and repeat with remaining butter, oil, and bread. Keep in oven until ready to serve. Serve warm with pure maple syrup, if desired.

CARAMELIZED SHEET-PAN FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• The day before serving, in a medium bowl, combine eggs, egg yolk, milk, cream, salt, vanilla, nutmeg, cardamom, 2 tablespoons/25 grams sugar and the liqueur, if using. Whisk well until thoroughly combined.
• Place the bread in a gallon-size resealable plastic bag or shallow dish that will fit the slices snugly. Pour the egg mixture into the bag or dish to soak in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. If in a bag, lay on a plate and turn the bag over from time to time. If in a dish, cover and flip the slices carefully now and then to ensure even soaking.
• When ready to cook, heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove the slices from the bag or dish, letting any excess drip off, and place on a plate. Coat the bread evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup/100 grams sugar.
• Heat a sheet pan or large cast-iron skillet in the oven for 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan. Spread it around and add the sugar-coated bread, spacing evenly. Reduce heat to 400 degrees. Cook until the bottoms are evenly burnished and golden brown, 14 to 18 minutes.
• Flip the bread and add the remaining tablespoon butter in slivers around the slices. Cook until the bottoms are nicely browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Turn the slices on the cut ends to caramelize, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately with the syrup and berries.

CHEF JOHN'S FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Whisk eggs, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, allspice, and salt together in a large bowl. Place bread slices in egg mixture and soak, turning to coat, until bread is completely saturated.
• Melt butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, cook bread in hot butter until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer toasted bread to a baking sheet.
• Bake toast in the oven until outside is crisp and slightly puffed, 12 to 15 minutes.

CRèME BRûLéE FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, rum, vanilla, nutmeg and salt. Spread bread out in 1 layer on a large rimmed baking sheet (about 11 by 17 inches). Pour custard over bread, cover with plastic wrap, and let soak in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight. Flip bread slices over once while they soak. This can be halfway through the soaking, or about an hour before baking, whichever is more convenient.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar and butter. Pour mixture onto another large rimmed baking sheet, using a spatula if necessary to spread into an even layer.
• Transfer soaked bread to sugared baking sheet, placing slices on top of the brown sugar mixture. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until tops are golden brown and sugar is bubbling.
• Serve immediately while still hot, with the crunchy brown sugar side up, spooning more of pan syrup over the top.

HONG KONG-STYLE FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Trim off the bread crusts and carefully cut the thick slices in half, leaving one side intact. Spread 1½ tablespoons of peanut butter inside each piece of milk bread.
• In a shallow bowl, whisk to combine the milk, eggs, cinnamon, and salt. Soak the peanut butter-stuffed bread in the milk mixture for 2 minutes on each side.
• While the bread is soaking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the soaked bread to the pan, cover with a tight lid, and cook until golden brown on the underside, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the bread and cook the other side, uncovered, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Serve the French toast with a drizzle of condensed milk and a slab of butter.