How to Make Your French Toast Even Better

Slow down. Relax and enjoy the process. That's how you make better French toast.

We have some "how to" tips below but first, let's talk about to make a fine custard with your French toast.

The Keys to Making a Fine Custard-like French Toast

Nice thick slices of bread are better. Three-quarters to one-inch is better. And homemade bread is better; it has more body. 

Use the right ratio of egg and milk. One-quarter cup milk to two large eggs is perfect. A teaspoon of good vanilla won't hurt. You can use almond milk if you're so inclined. Whisk the combination with a fork until smooth. This combination will make two large slices.

You can't be in a hurry. Let the bread soak up the egg mixture like a sponge. I don't time my soak but I'm guessing that it takes five minutes. Most of the liquid will be soaked into the bread.

Use a broad pancake spatula to turn your bread in your soaking pan or platter. A pie pan makes a good soaking container. 

Use a good griddle or heavy skillet. Set the heat to medium low and melt a little butter in the pan. Invert your soaking container over the hot skillet. There will be a little liquid in the pan. Scoot the bread around in the pan to capture the liquid.

Again, don't be in a hurry. It takes time for the heat to soak through the bread and you don't want your bread to be soggy. Take several minutes for it to heat--much longer than pancakes--and then turn the bread.

Now, it's going to take several minutes to cook the other side. Use your finger to check progress. The eggs will set as they cook. They won't be firm, hard, but they will become firmer with more resistance as they cook.

You can turn you bread again if you like--to get a bronzed color to your bread. But don't cook them too much or your eggs will toughen.

I prefer jam instead of syrup on my French toast. Jam won't soak into the bread and make it soggy.

Here are some rare or hard-to-find jams and jellies to consider.

The Snake River in October about 25 miles from The Prepared Pantry. Image by Merri Ann Weaver

Here are eight tips to make your French toast better.

1. Upgrade your breads. Try breads like California Raisin, Pumpkin Walnut,  Cranberry Nut, and Prairie Sunflower Bread. Homemade bread tends to be firmer and makes better French toast. We have over 50 different bread mixes for you to try.
2. Use a firm bread—slightly stale works. Or lightly toast your bread so it’s sturdier.
3. Use the right ratio of eggs to milk: two large eggs for 1/4 cup of milk. Then make certain that the egg mixture has soaked through the bread, about five minutes on each side. The egg mixture will soak through the bread making the interior soft and delightful--like a custard.
4. Cook your French toast properly over medium heat. Depending on the heat, it may take four or five minutes on a side. If you think it is done, gently press the toast with your finger. If the interior is set, the toast should be soft-firm.  The goal for great French toast is to cook it until it is golden brown on the outside with a creamy, custard-like center.
5. Cooking with butter rather than oil lends flavor to your French toast. Butter burns more easily than does oil so cook at a little lower temperature and watch your butter that it does not burn. Wipe out any browned butter with a paper towel between batches.
6. Thicker slices are more luxurious but you want the centers to be cooked and firm, not wet and mushy. Turn the heat down, not up, to get the centers cooked. It takes time for the heat to soak through the bread.
7. Add a splash of flavor—vanilla, caramel, brown sugar, coconut. We have over 50 flavors for you to try. Then top your French Toast with toasted nuts, sliced bananas, or fresh berries.
8. Upgrade your syrup. Grocery store syrups are typically flavored sugar syrups. Try real maple syrup or fruit syrups. We have six different fruit syrups and five different buttermilk syrup mixes.

Choose your bread here.

Choose your syrup here.

Learn about buttermilk syrup mixes here.