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French toast turns bread that is past its best into the most popular breakfast in the house. It also goes wrong in a specific, avoidable way: soggy in the middle, burnt outside.
Stale bread is better, and that is the point
Fresh bread is already full of moisture, so it cannot absorb much custard and it falls apart when you try. Bread that is a day or two old is drier and soaks up the egg mixture while holding its shape.
Thick slices — about 2cm — of a sturdy loaf work best. Brioche or challah are the luxurious options; ordinary white sandwich bread is completely fine if it is a day old. If your bread is fresh, leave the slices out on a rack for an hour, or dry them in a low oven for ten minutes.
Soak it properly, but not for long
Twenty to thirty seconds a side. Long enough that the custard penetrates past the crust, short enough that the slice does not disintegrate.
Thicker or staler bread can take a little longer. Lift it out and let the excess drip off before it goes in the pan — a dripping slice steams rather than fries.
Medium-low heat, and be patient
This is the fix for the soggy middle. The custard inside needs time to cook through, and on a hot pan the outside is dark brown before that has happened.
Three to four minutes a side on medium-low. The outside should be deep golden and the middle set rather than wet.
The details that make it taste better
- A pinch of salt in the custard. It does not make it salty; it makes it taste less flat.
- Cinnamon and vanilla are where most of the flavour comes from.
- Whisk properly so no stringy white remains — unmixed white sets into rubbery streaks.
For a toddler
Cut into fingers, skip the syrup, and serve with fruit. It is easy to hold and one of the more reliably accepted breakfasts.
As with any egg dish, cook it through until firm for young children.
