Make it Your Way French Toast

Every time it snows, everyone goes on autopilot and panic-buys 4 things (okay, 5 if you include adult beverages): Bread, milk, eggs, and toilet paper. Inevitably, French toast becomes one of those meals that we have each time it snows, and while we all have a way that we learned how to make it, let’s change things up a bit!

First, let’s talk milk. While there’s your standard whole milk and 2%–and both work completely fine in a pinch, but I personally prefer a 50/50 mixture of buttermilk and half & half. The higher fat content makes for a creamier texture while the buttermilk adds a more complex flavor.

Don’t have buttermilk? That’s okay! Add a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a cup of milk and wait 15 minutes. That’s literally it. Don’t have half & half? Mix 50/50 heavy cream and milk. Voila!

Now what about bread? While your typical white bread will work well in a pinch, you can also use everything from brioche to sourdough, cinnamon raisin bread to English muffins. In fact, French toasting English muffins and then making a breakfast sandwich with sausage or bacon is *chef’s kiss* magnificent. You can just half the sugar and leave out the vanilla.

Now, typically, I add in a teaspoon of cinnamon, a couple teaspoons of vanilla extract, and a bit of freshly grated nutmeg, but why stop there? You could just as well add a little orange zest for a brighter flavor, and instead of sugar, whisk in some warm honey or maple syrup to sweeten things up! However you modify, it’s completely up to you.

Here’s the base recipe:

Ingredients:

6 large eggs, beaten
1 cup whole buttermilk
1 cup half & half
2 tablespoons warm honey (or maple syrup)

Now add in a few of the following:

1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cloves

Additional ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
1 loaf of thick-cut bread

Instructions:

1. Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, half & half, honey, and 2-3 of the add-ins. Pour ingredients into a shallow dish. Dip bread in egg mixture for about 20-30 seconds on each side.
2. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt a couple tablespoons of butter until it begins to bubble.
3. Add two slices at a time to the skillet (or four on a griddle), and cook until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.
4. Remove from skillet and keep warm on a rack in the oven (set to 200) until all the slices have been cooked. Serve immediately.
5. Serve with syrup, fruit jam, apple butter, or as a sandwich with bacon and eggs.

If you want to make a savory French toast, click here (picture below)