It’s super easy to have French toast at home. This recipe is foolproof, uses simple ingredients and is ready in just 20 minutes—perfect for a quick breakfast.
Ingredients for French toast
- Sliced bread (preferably thick brioche – pre-sliced or whole loaf)
- Milk
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Vanilla essence (optional)
- Cinnamon (optional)
- Nutmeg (optional)
How to make the best French toast at home
step 1: Choose the right bread
You can choose any thick loaf or sliced bread; however, I’ve found that Brioche bread is the best choice for making the best French toast.
Whether it is a pre-sliced loaf or a whole loaf that you slice yourself.
step 2: Make your custard (Egg and Milk mixture)
Be sure to combine your egg and milk mixture really well. I have made the mistake of under-mixing my custard, and it left me with something along the lines of an eggy bread rather than a French toast.
You can also whisk in your sugar, spices and vanilla essence at this stage.
step 3: Soak YOUR toast well
Submerge your toast into the egg mixture for about 30-45 seconds, and be sure to keep rotating it every couple of seconds.
If your finger leaves a dent in the bread while it’s being submerged, your toast is soaked well and is ready to fry.
If you have a really thick slice, don’t be afraid to soak it for up to 1 minute to get that same consistency.
Pro Tip: Keep your slice turning so that it is evenly soaked.
Step 4: Fry on a Medium-low heat
Generally, you want to fry your toast on medium heat so the custard has time to cook without burning the toast.
If you are using brioche, a medium to low heat is best, as the extra sugar in the bread will cause it to brown more quickly.
step 5: Cook your toast all the way through
No one wants soggy toast, so you need to cook your toast long enough for the custard to set. This can take about 3-4 minutes per side.
After flipping the toast fry for an additional 3 minutes, you will know it’s ready when the middle slightly puffs/rises.
Pro Tip: Cover your frying pan with a lid before flipping so the additional steam cooks the custard through.
How to upgrade your French toast
Add an egg yolk to your custard mixture
Add an egg yolk to your mixture for a richer custard. You can also substitute a third of your milk for cream.
Level up the perfect French toast with some of these toppings
- Syrup
- Icing/ powdered sugar for dusting
- fresh berries or a homemade berry syrup
- coconut shavings and/or some nuts
- Chocolate chips
- Sliced bananas
- Peanut butter drizzle
Add some breakfast sides
This recipe is enough for 2 persons; however, you can serve 3-4 persons by adding sides such as bacon, sausage, eggs and fruit.
Expert Tips for Perfect French Toast at home
1. Let the bread soak
Aim for moist, not soggy toast. Submerge the bread in the custard before flipping it over and soaking the other side.
2. Fry on medium heat
Avoid burning the outside before the inside cooks. Cover the pan with a lid to help the custard in the French toast cook through. This will result in a fluffier, less soggy French toast.
3. Add flavourings to your custard
Use real vanilla extract or vanilla paste for the best flavour. Also, consider adding spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg.
4. Fry in both Butter and oil
Fry in butter + a little oil to prevent burning and add flavour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What Bread should I use for French toast
The best bread for French toast would be Brioche, as it is made slightly sweeter than other breads and has a richer flavour. The additional sugar will also contribute to the colour of your French toast, giving a beautiful golden brown crust.
Focus on getting thicker pre-sliced bread or whole loaves that you can slice yourself. Thin sandwich bread will result in a soggy French toast.
Q: Why is my French toast soggy?
You may have soaked the bread too long, or used bread that was too fresh and thin. Use day-old thick bread and submerge it in the custard for about 15-30 seconds.
Pro tip: Avoid soggy French toast by frying your toast with a lid on and letting the additional steam cook the custard through.
Q: Why is my French toast dry?
You probably did not soak your French toast enough. To get the perfect soak, submerge the bread in the custard for about 15-30 seconds (Longer if the bread is extremely thick).
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How to make French Toast at home
Ingredients
- 6 slices of pre-sliced brioche loaf
- 160 ml whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence (optional)
- A pinch of cinnamon (optional)
- a pinch of nutmeg (optional)
- Butter (for frying)
Instructions
- Heat your frying pan on high
- In a large bowl (preferably one that is both deep and wide) add in your eggs, milk, sugar and spices.
- Whisk everything until well combined (until you can no longer see the yolk)
- Lower the heat to medium and add in 1 teaspoon of butter to the pan
- Submerge one loaf in the egg and milk mixture for about a 30 seconds rotating it every couple of seconds so both sides are soaked well.
- Place the soaked slice into the frying pan, cover with a lid and let this fry for about 3-4 minutes.
- Lift the slice to see if its a nice golden brown then flip and place the lid back on for an additional 3 minutes. (if you want to have more colour leave it for an additional minute – if it’s too dark lower the heat slightly)
- Check to see if the middle of the French toast has puffed up and the other side is the perfect golden brown then remove from the pan and place on a plate to serve.
- Continue steps 5-8 with the remaining slices.
- Dust your French toast with icing sugar and serve with your favourite fruit