New Orleans Style French Toast Recipes

NEW ORLEANS FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Spray 12x8-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange slices of bread in sprayed baking dish, completely covering bottom of dish.
• In medium bowl, combine eggs, half-and-half, sugar and nutmeg; beat well. Pour over bread in baking dish. Cover tightly; refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
• When ready to bake, heat oven to 375°F. Uncover; bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and slightly puffed.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add pears; cook 2 minutes or until pears are tender, stirring occasionally. In small bowl, combine water and cornstarch; blend well. Add honey and cornstarch mixture to pears in skillet; cook 2 minutes or until bubbly. Serve over French toast.

PAIN PERDU: NEW ORLEANS STYLE FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 F. Generously butter a large baking sheet.
• If desired, remove the crusts from bread slices and discard them or reserve them for another use. Set the bread aside.
• In a small bowl, beat the eggs with salt, sugar, milk, and vanilla. Pour into a flat-bottomed dish large enough to accommodate a few slices of the bread.
• Place the bread slices into the dish to soak up some of the egg mixture, a few at a time. Turn with a spatula and let them soak on the other side, but not too long, or they will be too saturated and difficult to turn. Gently remove the soaked bread slices to the buttered baking sheet and continue with the remaining bread slices. Spoon any remaining egg mixture over the slices.
• Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake the pain perdu for 15 to 20 minutes, turning after the first 10 minutes to brown on both sides.
• Serve immediately with melted butter and your favorite honey or syrup.

PAIN PERDU II

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, milk, brandy and orange zest. Beat until thick and foamy. Pour mixture into a shallow pan. Soak bread slices in the mixture for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until they are thoroughly soaked through.
• Heat a griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Lightly spray griddle with cooking spray. Cook the bread slices 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Serve hot.

BOURBON FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• mix eggs, sugar, salt and bourbon, saving 1/2 cup of bourbon.
• Cut bread into half inch slices and dip into mixture.
• Place into frying pan coated with oil. Or griddle at 350 degrees.
• Fry until crisp and brown, repeating on the opposite side until done.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Dust with powdered sugar.
• Add 1/2 cup of bourbon to maple syrup and serve warm.

BAKED FRENCH TOAST, NEW ORLEANS STYLE

Steps:

• Spray a 12 x 8 inch casserole or baking dish with nonstick spray or lightly grease with butter.
• Arrange slices of bread across bottom of dish, completely covering bottom (squeeze in more if the bottom shows).
• In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, half and half, sugar and nutmeg; beat well.
• Pour evenly over the bread, then cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Before baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Uncover, and bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.
• Meanwhile, prepare sauce, by melting butter in a skillet over medium heat.
• Add the pears, and cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
• In a small bowl, combine water and cornstarch, blending well; add honey and cornstarch to the pears and cook 2 minutes, stirring, or until mixture thickens and is bubbly.
• Serve sauce over French toast.

NEW ORLEANS STYLE FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 375. In large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, salt, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon and allspice. Soak bread slices in custard mixture for at least 30 minutes or til completely saturated.
• 2. Melt a few tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bread in batches and lightly brown, about 2 minutes per side. Don't cook too dark, as additional browning will occur in oven.
• 3. Transfer to lightly buttered, foil lined baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove and turn each slice over. Put back in oven for another 10 to 15 minutes or til browned and the bread springs back when tested with a finger. Serve at once. Face: The thrifty French, who pride themselves on the short life of their bread, are believed to have invented French toast as a way of using up bread that is no longer fresh. The french name for this tasty morsel is pain perdu, or "lost bread."