Cooking for your mom on Mother’s Day is probably the Best Gift Ever for a lot of moms. Sure, we’re delighted to get flowers, or a lovely box of chocolate, or a new power drill, but what we really want is to be taken care of for one single, blessed day. Just kidding, we know you love us. Now cook something to prove it.
A chill brunchy breakfast is a great way to go. And, by the way, it doesn’t have to be in bed. In fact, having balanced a toddler, a mug of hot coffee and a plate of eggs on my lap while lying in bed in years past, I can say that’s challenging, even when charming.
The smell of French toast cooking up on the stove should make a morning person out of anyone. There are few breakfasts that feel as indulgent, but it couldn’t be easier to make!
In some parts of the world, French toast is called “eggy toast,” “Bombay toast,” “gypsy toast” and ”poor nights of Windsor.” In France, it is actually called “pain perdu,” which means “lost bread,” as the bread is dunked into an eggy custard to soak for a while. Besides, the name French toast probably has nothing to do with France -– the most reasonable story is that a man named Joseph French invented it.
Whatever you call it, it’s a fan favorite.
For best results, choose an eggy bread
Challah is far and away my favorite bread to use for making French toast. The bread is made with eggs, so it is richer than plain white loaves, and the middle becomes almost custardy in texture when it is soaked in a milk and egg mixture and griddled up on a pan.
Brioche is another egg-based bread that is a great choice. And you can definitely use a plain Pullman loaf, a firm white bread, if you like – just make sure your slices are nice and thick.
Use bread that is a bit on the dry side, meaning it needs to be a few days old. When I have a fresh challah, I simply slice it 3/4-inch thick and leave the slices on the counter for about 24 hours to dry out a bit. Flip them sometime in the middle of the day so both sides have a chance to air dry. Or put them on a wire rack, and then you can just let them dry without having to flip them.
And it should be said that French toast leftovers heat up nicely in the microwave, so make a few extra pieces for later in the week.
Tips for making perfect French toast:
— Mix the custard batter thoroughly so you don’t get patches of just egg or milk.
— Use two skillets to make the cooking go faster, especially if you are making it for a crowd.
— Your bread slices should be around ¾-inch thick, and no more than 1-inch thick. Thinner slices might get too soggy in the custard dip and fall apart. Thicker slices are hard to cook through properly.
— Soak the bread for just long enough: too long and it will get soggy and disintegrate, too short and the milk and egg mixture won’t penetrate to the center of the bread, offering that custardy texture in the middle.
— Use moderate heat: too high and the bread will burn on the outside, too low and it won’t get that nicely browned crusty exterior.
— Preheat the pan. Again, this will allow for the nice browned exterior.
— Use a heavy skillet if possible, which holds heat more evenly. Cast iron is perfect, regular or enameled.
The recipe:
Challah French Toast
Serves 6
Ingredients:
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
½ to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups milk (I prefer whole)
1 loaf slightly stale challah, sliced ¾ inch thick
About 4 tablespoons butter for cooking, divided
For serving (pick and choose, or combine)
Maple syrup
Confectioners’ sugar
Berries or chopped soft fruit, like ripe peaches or nectarines
Directions:
Use a whisk or a fork to beat the eggs in a wide shallow bowl or baking pan. Beat in the vanilla, cinnamon (if using), sugar and salt. Add the milk and whisk to combine thoroughly.
Heat a very large skillet over medium heat. While the skillet is heating up, place a piece of the challah in the milk mixture and let it sit for about 1 minute. Flip the bread and let soak for another minute. If your bread is very dry, it might need to soak for longer. Take it out when it is soaked through, but not mushy.
When the skillet is quite hot, take the bread from the milk mixture, allow any excess to drip back into the bowl, and then melt a tablespoon of the butter in the pan, swirling it to coat the bottom. Place the dipped bread in the skillet, and repeat with more slices, fitting as many pieces in the pan as possible in a single layer. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, then transfer the French toast to a serving plate or platter. Repeat with the remaining butter and dipped bread.
Serve the French toast hot with confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, berries or other fruit, and whatever other toppings you like.
French toast also goes well with Strawberry Sauce, Fruit Salad and Crispy bacon.
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Katie Workman writes regularly about food for The Associated Press. She has written two cookbooks focused on family-friendly cooking, “Dinner Solved!” and “The Mom 100 Cookbook.” She blogs at https://themom100.com/. She can be reached at [email protected].
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