🍞 Cinnamon French Toast
Ingredients
- 8 slices brioche or bread
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- Butter
- Maple syrup
- Cinnamon & vanilla (pantry staple)
- Sugar (pantry staple)
Instructions
- Whisk eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and a spoon of sugar.
- Soak bread slices briefly; griddle in butter until golden on both sides.
- Serve with syrup.
Tips
- Use stale bread, or dry fresh slices in a low oven for 10 minutes. Fresh soft bread disintegrates in the custard and goes soggy in the middle.
- Soak briefly — 20 to 30 seconds a side. Long soaking is the single most common cause of a raw, custardy centre.
- Medium-low heat and butter. High heat browns the outside in a minute while the middle is still liquid egg.
Substitutions
- Brioche
- Challah is the other classic. Sourdough works and is less sweet; standard sandwich bread works if dried first. Cut about ¾ inch thick.
- Milk
- Half and half or cream makes it richer. Any plant milk works — oat is closest in body.
- Cinnamon and vanilla
- Nutmeg, cardamom, or orange zest. A pinch of salt in the custard matters more than people expect.
- Maple syrup
- Fruit compote, icing sugar, or Greek yoghurt. Real maple syrup and pancake syrup are different things — the latter is mostly corn syrup.
Storage & reheating
Cooked slices keep 3 days refrigerated and freeze 2 months with parchment between them. Reheat in a toaster or a 350°F oven; the microwave makes them limp. Don't store the custard with bread already in it.
Common questions
Why is my french toast soggy in the middle?
Soaked too long, bread too fresh, or heat too high. Brief soak, stale bread, medium-low pan — those three fix it.
Why is it called French toast?
The dish long predates the name and exists across Europe as pain perdu, 'lost bread', because it rescued stale loaves. The English name's origin is disputed and probably not actually French.
Can I make the custard ahead?
Yes, up to a day refrigerated. Whisk it again before using, as it separates.