6 Must-Try French Toast Recipes for an Excellent Brunch

French Toast Recipes
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Is there just one way of making French toast? Definitely not. November 28th is the National French Toast Day. Are you wondering how the French toast recipe come about? This delicacy that originated from Rome has graced many breakfast tables for centuries. If the recipe didn’t originate from France, why was it named “French Toast”?

Joseph French created the recipe in 1724. He advertised the recipe as “French Toast” because he forgot the apostrophe. However, we cannot give all the credit to Joseph. The recipe existed from the early 5th century AD as early as the age of the Roman Empire. The Romans would dip bread in a milk and egg mixture and then fry it with oil or butter.

Other people believe that the French toast recipe was created by medieval European cooks who had to use every bit of food they found to feed their families. They knew they could revive a day old bread if moistened by adding eggs and heated.

Follow these French toast recipes to find out the various ways you can make this delicious treat.

Although you can make French Toast with any bread, the sandwich bread would suffice. You can choose to use heavy cream as opposed to regular milk, as well. French toast goes well with any sweetener, such as honey, sugar, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. Have fun with assorted fruits, fresh or freeze-dried, to make your French toast more delicious.

1. Vanilla French Toast

Time – 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • Five slices of Bread
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 cup of milk
  • A pinch of salt
  • Sweetener
  • Vanilla extract
  • Butter
  • Maple syrup

Method

  1. In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, sweetener, and vanilla extract.
  2. Place the bread slice in on one side and then quickly flip it over to the other side. Ensure that it doesn’t stay dipped for too long as it will get soggy.
  3. Place the bread slices in a skillet with melted butter set over medium heat. Let them cook for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
  4. Serve them hot. Top with maple syrup or honey.

2. French Toast with Cinnamon

Time – 10 minutes

Sometimes, you want a little more flavor and aroma in your French toast

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 8 slices challah, brioche, or white bread
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup, warmed

Method

  1. In a small bowl, mix cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar and set aside
  2. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet.
  3. Whisk the cinnamon mixture, eggs, and milk.
  4. Pour the cinnamon mixture into a shallow container, such as a pie plate.
  5. Dip bread in the egg mixture and then put them on the pan.
  6. Fry the bread slices until golden brown, then flip to cook the other side. Serve with syrup.

3. Mixed Berry French Toast

If you need some extra sweetness in your French toast recipe, this one is for you.

Time – 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 slices of bread
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup milk (240 mL)
  • 2 cups mixed frozen berries,
  • Freeze-dried blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar (65 g)
  • Confectioner’s sugar, optional

Method

  1. Whisk the eggs and milk together in a medium-large bowl to create an egg wash.
  2. Dunk bread in the egg wash.
  3. On medium-low heat, melt butter in a skillet and cook bread for 3 minutes.
  4. Mix the berries, sugar, and lemon juice in a medium pan over low heat.
  5. Crush and stir the berries until they form a thick sauce.
  6. Lay out the slices and spread compote in between each slice then on top.
  7. Garnish with confectioners’ sugar if you desire.

4. Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast

Time – 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cream cheese one package, softened
  • cups of sugar 
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 12 slices of Texas Toast (one loaf)
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Method

  1. In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla until you have a spreadable consistency.
  2. Spread a thick layer of cream cheese filling on one side of half of the Texas Toast.
  3. Top with the second piece of toast, forming a sandwich with cream cheese filling in the middle
  4. In a small bowl, whisk eggs, milk, granulated sugar, and cinnamon together.
  5. Then dip the sandwiches in the egg mixture to coat completely
  6. Melt butter on a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Cook the sandwiches until they are golden brown on both sides. Top with freeze-dried strawberries, syrup, and whipped cream.

5. Patriotic French Toast

The only thing that’s better than French toast is French toast with freeze-dried berries. This French toast recipe shows you how to make it.

Time

Preparation – 15 minutes

Making – 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 cups of milk
  • Two large eggs, beaten
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 8 thick slices of bread

Method

  1. Preheat an oven to 200 degrees F (120 degrees C).
  2. Mix the rehydrated strawberries and blueberries in a bowl and set them aside.
  3. Beat the softened cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar until smooth and then set it aside.
  4. Whip the milk, eggs, and vanilla, in a shallow bowl.
  5. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large pan
  6. Dip bread into the egg mixture, and make sure it’s fully coated
  7. Cook the bread for five minutes or until it’s browned on both sides
  8. Place cooked slices on the baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm until ready to serve.
  9. Spread the cream cheese mixture over each slice of French toast, then top with two tablespoons of the fruit. Serve them hot

6. French Toast Broccoli Cheddar

This savory French toast recipe is great for leftover toast bread.

Time

Preparation – 5 minutes

Making – 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • ½ cup of silken tofu
  • ½ cup of coconut milk
  • A pinch of salt
  • Six pieces of broccoli cheddar bread

Instructions

  1. Mix the tofu, milk, and salt in a blender. Add more milk to make it thinner if it’s too thick
  2. Pour the mixture into a shallow bowl or plate
  3. Dip the bread slices into the batter
  4. Cook on a skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes
  5. Turn it and cook both sides, ensuring they have turned golden brown on each side
  6. Drizzle some honey on it and serve

Conclusion

French toast recipes can vary depending on your preferred milk and fruits. If you’re allergic to cow’s milk or someone in the family is, use rice milk or nut milk, such as almond milk.

Use the fruits in season or one that may be out of season but have been freeze-dried to add flavor and color to your French toast. If you need to, you can make lots of bread pieces and freeze them to increase the shelf life.

Which French toast recipe will you try out today?

References

  1. https://thebreakfastshoppe.com/history-french-toast/
  2. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/robert-irvine/french-toast-recipe-1951408
  3. https://www.yellowblissroad.com/creamcheesestuffedfrenchtoast/
  4. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/214699/patriotic-french-toast/
  5. https://www.spabettie.com/savory-french-toast-broccoli-cheddar/