French Toast
When we tested this recipe, it met with universal acclaim. "This is the best French toast I've ever tasted" sums up most of the comments. The difference between this and everyday, run-of-the-mill French toast? The quality of the ingredients. Start with a high-rising, golden-white, tasty white bread; challah is a particularly good choice. Slice it thick; we found 5/8-inch just about right. Bathe it in cream and eggs accented with nutmeg, vanilla and a touch of rum. Sauté it gently in butter; keep it warm in a hot oven, then serve it, on warmed plates, with sifted sugar and maple syrup. Crispy on the outside, toothsome/tender within, this is the French toast of which dreams are made.
6 to 8 slices bread, somewhat stale
3 large eggs
3/4 cup (6 ounces) cream, heavy, whipping, or light
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons (7/8 ounce) sugar
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) rum
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or not), and set aside. Place 1 tablespoon each butter and vegetable oil in a heavy skillet, and set it to heat over medium heat. Alternately, heat an electric griddle to 300°F.
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, salt, nutmeg, sugar, rum, and vanilla. Stir till smooth but not foamy. Pour the batter into a shallow casserole dish large enough to hold two pieces of bread snugly.
Place two pieces of bread in the pan; let them soak for about 30 seconds, then turn them over, and let soak for about 30 seconds on the other side. You want the bread to absorb some of the liquid, but not to become soggy.
Place the bread in the skillet or on the griddle (which you've greased with a mixture of butter or vegetable oil, or simply with non-stick vegetable oil spray), and fry till the underside is golden brown; this should take about 2 minutes. Turn the bread, and fry on the second side for about 2 minutes. Again, it should be golden brown. Transfer the French toast to the baking sheet, and place it in the preheated oven. Allow it to remain in the oven while you cook the remaining pieces.
When all the pieces are cooked, serve the French toast with soft butter and maple syrup. Or dust it with confectioners' sugar or cinnamon-sugar. Yield: 6 servings.
Note: ordinarily you'd consider 2 to 3 pieces of French toast a single serving, but this particular recipe is so rich, and each slice of bread is big and thick enough, that we consider one piece a serving, particularly if you add fresh fruit and/or some breakfast ham, bacon or sausage.
Reviews
01/18/2009
Great recipe, I'll never make French Toast with any other. It would be nice to hear more from Carol or anyone else who has baked this recipe successfully. It's nice to be able to drink coffee and socialize with folks while breakfast is cooking, rather than hovering over a hot stove. Can anyone comment on this? Time? Temperature? I feel sorry for those who think that food from any particular custom can only be enjoyed along with the entire philosophy of that culture. Gee, are we non-Jews even allowed to eat it according to them? If the recipe had called for "sweet egg bread" would they still have a problem?
01/11/2009
This IS the BEST I've ever had. My husband is not a French Toast lover (but he'll eat it) and he raved! We used some bakery French bread (which is made in West Branch, Michigan and is the BEST) and as a whole I'm saving this for company! - but we'll have it for just the two of us too!
01/08/2009
This is just a bread recipe! You make yours and eat it with what you want and I'll make mine and eat it with what I want!
01/06/2009
I use Challah for my French Toast and I love it, this is a wonderful recipe, I will add some rum this week-end. Remember, food shared with family and friends is a celebration and let everyone celebrate as they see fit, G_d will understand.
01/06/2009
recipe is very quick and quick to make. Tastes wonderful. We had it for a week night dinner and will keep it as a favorite.
01/06/2009
Listen, its all about the French Toast...not religion. You can serve it naked on the side if you want..who cares. This is a recipe comment site and thats what people want to hear. A recipe comment!
01/06/2009
This sounds like a wonderful french toast. As for the ham, since I am not Jewish, how would I know not to eat ham with Challa?! To take a fun recipe forum and turn it into a religious gripe fest, I just don't get it. The french toast still sounds good to me.
01/06/2009
The recipe sounds wonderful, can't wait to try it. To all who objected the the suggestion of ham or whatever, get a life. It was only a suggestion, not an order.
01/05/2009
With a name like Schwartz, you are telling Susan to "get over it"? I happen to agree with Susan! I have never heard of Challah with HAM!! Yuck! Somebody sure has an imagination! And the French toast doesn't need any decoration with anything else; it is good on its own - no bacon or ham needed, G-d forbid! And don't go putting down the Jewish religious customs!
01/05/2009
From the rest of the people in the world that know how to add and subtract their own side dishes to this recipe, thank you for the new breakfast idea! Absolutely delicious!
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