Decadent French Toast Recipes

DECADENT FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Spray a 13x9 baking dish liberally with cooking spray.
• Mix brown sugar, butter, & corn syrup (add a touch of cinnamon) in a saucepan and cook until bubbly. Pour into baking dish. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.
• Slice French bread, layer in pan.
• Mix well in a bowl; eggs, milk and cinnamon. Pour over bread. Make sure to get some of the milk mixture on each slice.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 30 � 45 minutes. Invert on to serving platter or another baking dish. Enjoy!
• ***I add cinnamon to taste. I use between a teaspoon & a tablespoon for the whole recipe. I don�t measure, just shake. I also cut French bread slices in half and put cut side down. You can also serve this with whipped cream & strawberries. I prefer warm syrup. I like to invert onto something I can put into the oven to help everything to �set-up� better & keep it warm so I can get everything else done.

THE BEST FRENCH TOAST I'VE EVER MADE

Steps:

• Choose your bread. If you like very thick french toast (you should try it at least once!), find a local bakery and get yourself a loaf of challah or brioche bread (buy a day-old loaf if they have it.) I don't like using French bread or the regular loaves you find in the deli at the grocery store; the crusts turn out too chewy. You want a nice soft edge. If you can't get to a bakery, head to the grocery store and buy the thickest and softest white bread you can find. (3/4 inch or thicker.) Texas toast is great. I like to use the Artesano brand of bread; they sell a pre-sliced brioche loaf that is pretty legit. But their white bread is also nice and soft. See photos.
• Slice your bread with a serrated knife if you are working with a whole loaf. See photos. I like my slices to be about 1 and 1/4 inch thick, which feels a little ridiculous, but trust me. You can even go up to 2 inches if you're feeling wild. Don't slice thinner than 3/4 inch.
• Set your bread aside, spread out so that it gets a little dried out. Day old bread is great for French toast. In France, they call this dish "Lost Bread" because it's what you make when you have dried out bread to use up. (I experimented with toasting the bread first, but thought it dried out the finished product too much.)
• Make the egg mixture. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl,* whisk together 3 egg yolks, 1 and 1/2 cups heavy cream* or half & half, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg, if you like. Whisk until it is completely smooth and the cinnamon is well incorporated.
• Pour the mixture into a shallow dish like a pie plate, or an 8x8 inch pan. Place a slice of bread in the mixture and let it sit there for 10 to 20 seconds. How long you soak it depends on how thick your bread is. It should be soft when you touch it, but still hold itself together. Flip the bread and soak the other side. You can start cooking the French toast right away, or you can place the soaked bread on a baking sheet or plate while you finish soaking all of them.
• Cook the French toast: Heat an electric griddle or large 12 inch skillet over medium low heat. When it is hot, add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or any oil with a high smoke point.) Swirl it around until the pan is coated. Place the French toast on the pan with 1 to 2 inches in between each slice of bread. Cook on medium low heat for 3-5 minutes. The timing depends on your oven or griddle, so stick around and keep an eye on it.
• Caramelize. When the bottom of the first side is LIGHT brown (we are going to cook this side twice), sprinkle about a half tablespoon granulated sugar on the top (raw) side of the bread. Flip the toast, sugar side down, and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. (Be sure to swirl the pan so oil re-coats it, or add more butter/oil if necessary). Then, sprinkle another half tablespoon of sugar on the cooked side, and flip it over again so that it lightly caramelizes the first side.
• Keep your toast warm. Preheat your oven to the "keep warm" setting, about 170 degrees F. As you finish frying the toast, transfer each one to a wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Keep toast warm in the oven until ready to serve.
• I honestly don't even put maple syrup on caramelized French toast. I feel like it doesn't really need it, plus it makes the caramel edge not as crunchy. I like to eat it plain, or with a little jam. But maple syrup is really delicious if you are in the mood! A sprinkle of powdered sugar and a berry garnish never hurt either.
• Keep leftovers stored covered in the fridge. It will keep for 3-5 days. You can reheat leftovers in the microwave or the toaster. Or heat your oven to 350 and heat the toast all together on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, until the toast is warmed, about 5-10 minutes.

DECADENT CHOCOLATE FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Fit a baking sheet with a wire rack.
• Slice the pound cake into 8 slices. Place the prepared baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 12 minutes.
• In a small pot, heat 1/4 cup heavy cream over low heat. When hot, whisk in the white chocolate chips until melted and fully incorporated into the cream. Remove from the heat and chill in the fridge until cool but still a pourable consistency, about 30 minutes.
• In a blender, combine three-quarters of the strawberries with the sugar. Reserve the remaining strawberries for garnish. Blend until smooth. Strain the puree through a strainer into a bowl. Cover and place in the fridge until ready to serve. Strawberry sauce can be made the day before and keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
• In a large chilled bowl, combined the remaining 3/4 cup heavy cream and the cooled white chocolate cream mixture. Whip with a hand mixer until medium peaks form. Cover and place in the fridge while you make the French toast.
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
• In a baking dish. whisk together the chocolate milk, vanilla, cinnamon and eggs until well blended. Place 4 pieces of the pound cake into the egg mixture and let soak for 15 seconds. Flip and soak the other side for 15 seconds. Remove the cake from the egg mixture, allowing any excess to drip off, and place in the heated skillet with the butter. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove to a platter. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet and repeat with the remaining 4 pound cake slices.
• To assemble: Place a small pool of the strawberry sauce onto 4 plates, 2 to 3 tablespoons per plate. Place 2 pieces of French toast onto each plate. Top each with a large dollop of the white chocolate whipped cream, sprinkle with the some chocolate chips and garnish with a fresh strawberry and mint sprig.

DECADENT FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs, half-and-half, and granulated sugar until well combined.
• In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter or oil over medium heat.
• Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture, completely coating both sides, cook on hot skillet until all slices have been made into French Toast.
• combine the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar mix well.
• Spread cream cheese mixture diagonally on each piece of bread.
• Place a dollop of Strawberry Topping on top of cheese mixture and fold over making a half. Add more topping if you like and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
• Serve and Enjoy!

THE BEST FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees F.
• Cut the bread into 8 slices about 3/4-inch thick. Arrange them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet (it's ok if they overlap). Bake, flipping them halfway through, until very lightly golden on both sides, about 12 minutes. Let them cool on the baking sheet until ready to use. Reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees F.
• Vigorously whisk the eggs in a large bowl until blended and no streaks of whites remain. Add the half-and-half, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg and whisk until completely incorporated. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish.
• Gently press 2 slices of the toasted bread into the custard. Turn to coat and then gently press down on the bread until you feel it start to soak up the custard-this is key for a luscious, moist texture. Let the bread soak for about 1 minute per side; it should feel heavy but still hold its shape and not fall apart.
• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Cook 2 of the soaked bread slices until they are a deep golden brown, the custard has set and the insides are cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. The center of the bread will puff slightly while the crust will contract, making it look puckered. You may have to alternate between medium and medium-low heat if the bread browns too quickly or not fast enough. Transfer the slices to a rimmed baking sheet and hold in the warm oven. Repeat with the remaining butter and bread.
• Serve the French toast with butter, maple syrup and a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar.