French toast is one of the easiest ways to turn a few slices of bread into a proper breakfast. You whisk eggs with milk, soak the bread and fry it gently until the outside becomes golden and the centre is cooked. It sounds almost too simple to need a recipe, yet two problems crop up regularly: thin bread falls apart during soaking, and an overly hot pan burns the surface before the egg mixture inside has cooked.
You don't need an elaborate brunch menu to get it right. The most useful changes are choosing suitable bread, allowing enough soaking time and controlling the heat.
Ingredients for two people
For about four slices of French toast, use:
- 4 thick slices of brioche, challah or sturdy slightly stale white bread
- 2 medium eggs
- 100ml milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract, optional
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon, optional
- A small pinch of salt
- 15–20g butter for the pan, with a little neutral oil if preferred
- Fresh fruit, yogurt, syrup or another topping to serve
These quantities give a straightforward home version. Richer recipes, including BBC Good Food's French toast, use cream as well as milk and sometimes allow a longer soak for thick brioche.
Choose bread that won't collapse
Thick slices work better than very thin, soft sandwich bread. Brioche gives a rich, tender result; challah is similarly suitable. Ordinary white bread is fine too, particularly if it is a little stale.
Bread that has dried slightly absorbs the custard mixture without immediately disintegrating. That doesn't mean you should use bread that's mouldy or genuinely spoiled.
If the loaf is very fresh and soft, cut thicker slices and shorten the soaking time. If it is a day old and sturdy, it can tolerate a longer soak.
Whisk the custard in a shallow dish
Crack the eggs into a bowl, then add the milk, salt and any cinnamon or vanilla. Whisk until the yolks and whites are thoroughly blended.
Pour the mixture into a shallow dish broad enough for a slice of bread. That makes soaking more even than trying to squeeze a whole slice into a narrow mug.
Cinnamon can float on top rather than dissolving. Give the mixture another quick whisk between batches so one slice doesn't collect all the spice.
Soak the first piece carefully
Lay one slice into the custard and let it absorb some liquid. Turn it with a spatula or your fingers so both sides are coated.
For fairly sturdy brioche, you can soak for a minute or two per side, adjusting according to thickness. BBC Good Food's recipe allows several minutes for thick slices to absorb its richer mixture.
Don't soak until the bread starts to tear when lifted. A very soft slice may need only a brief dip, while a dense thick slice needs more time for the centre to absorb the egg.
Heat a frying pan over medium heat
Place a non-stick or well-seasoned frying pan over medium, not maximum, heat. Add a little butter and allow it to melt and foam gently.
A small amount of neutral oil can help prevent the butter from browning too quickly. Avoid a large pool of fat, which turns the dish into something closer to deep-fried bread.
The pan should be hot enough to gently sizzle when the soaked bread lands, but not so hot that the butter turns black in seconds.
Cook the bread without rushing it
Lift the soaked slice, allow excessive custard to drip back into the dish and lay it flat in the pan. Avoid crowding several slices if they won't fit.
Cook for roughly two to four minutes on the first side, depending on thickness and heat, until it develops an even golden colour. Lift an edge gently to check.
Turn carefully and cook the other side until golden and the interior is cooked. If the bread is very thick, reduce the heat and allow a little longer rather than blasting the surface.
Make sure the egg mixture is cooked through
French toast contains egg, so don't serve a thick wet centre of uncooked custard. The slice should feel set rather than sloshing when you press it gently.
A very thick slice may need additional time over lower heat. You can also keep cooked slices warm in a moderate oven for a short period while finishing the batch, provided food is handled safely.
If the surface is dark brown but the centre remains liquid, the pan is too hot. Lower it before cooking the next piece.
Keep the first slices warm
If you are making breakfast for several people, set finished slices on a wire rack above a tray in a low oven while cooking the remainder.
A rack helps prevent the underside steaming against a solid plate and going soft. Avoid stacking hot slices immediately into a tall pile if you want to preserve a crisp surface.
Don't leave cooked egg-based food standing for hours at room temperature. Plan your cooking so the French toast is served shortly after finishing.
Add toppings after cooking
Fresh berries, sliced banana and a spoonful of yogurt balance the richness. A little maple syrup or honey gives sweetness, while a dusting of cinnamon sugar makes a simple treat.
If the bread itself is already sweetened brioche, taste before adding a large amount of syrup. You may need very little extra sugar.
For a savoury version, omit vanilla and cinnamon, keep a small pinch of salt in the custard and serve with suitable cooked toppings.
Can you use ordinary sliced bread?
Yes, but manage the soaking differently. Thin sliced bread absorbs custard quickly, so dip it rather than leaving it in the dish while you heat the pan.
Keep the heat moderate and turn with a broad spatula. The slice may be more delicate than brioche, but it can still make a good inexpensive breakfast.
If making French toast to use up bread, remember that 'slightly stale' means dry and sound, not bread with any signs of mould.
What if the French toast is soggy?
The most common causes are too much custard for the thickness of bread, insufficient cooking time or an overloaded pan that never reaches the right temperature.
Allow a thick slice enough time to cook through at medium heat. Don't increase the flame merely because you want the outside darker.
Try draining each slice briefly after soaking and using slightly drier bread next time. A little adjustment in soaking time often makes more difference than buying an expensive loaf.
What if it burns before the middle cooks?
Turn the heat down. Butter browns easily in a very hot pan, and the egg mixture on the surface can darken quickly.
Wipe out scorched butter before adding the next batch, then start again with fresh fat. Don't continue cooking in a pan full of blackened bits.
For especially thick bread, use a lower temperature for longer. The aim is an even golden coating, not a black exterior with wet egg trapped inside.
Variations worth trying
For orange French toast, add a little finely grated orange zest to the custard. For a more dessert-like version, serve with briefly cooked berries.
A savoury version can include herbs and pepper instead of sweet spices. Use fillings and toppings that complement eggy bread rather than automatically adding sugar to every version.
You can also use crusty bread if the slices are sturdy enough to absorb the mixture. Expect a chewier result than you get from soft brioche.
Cleaning up afterwards
Discard any unused egg mixture that has been in contact with raw ingredients if you aren't going to cook it promptly and safely. Wash the mixing dish and utensils thoroughly.
Wipe out the pan once cool enough to handle. Avoid leaving sticky sweet toppings on a hot non-stick coating where they may scorch.
French toast is at its best eaten straight away. If you make extra, cool and store it according to food-safety guidance rather than leaving it on the breakfast table until late afternoon.
The easiest way to remember the method
Whisk eggs and milk, dip sturdy bread, fry slowly and turn once the first side is golden. The rest is refinement.
Start with just two slices while you learn the heat of your pan. Once the first one comes out with a cooked centre and golden surface, the remaining batch becomes easy.
Good French toast needs controlled heat more than complicated ingredients. That is what makes a humble slice of bread feel like a weekend breakfast.