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This quick and easy French Toast is ready in about 20 minutes and is perfect for a special occasion or weekend breakfast or brunch.
Here in the UK this recipe was often called ‘eggy bread’ back in the day, but let’s stick with the slightly more exotic sounds ‘French Toast’ now shall we?! (But yes, they are the same thing, basically).
My version has evolved since my Mum used to make it as an after school snack. I add vanilla and cinnamon and make it with brioche bread and berries. Extra delicious!
My kids love this one for a weekend breakfast when I don’t have time for the slightly more involved American Pancakes, but all the flavours are there for this to taste like a total treat.
Homemade French Toast simply involves making an eggy mixture, then soaking slices of bread in it before frying them in butter. It’s really easy but the step-by-step videos below are here to help walk you through it.
Why you’ll love this Easy French Toast recipe
⭐️ Quick, easy and delicious
⭐️ Perfect for breakfast of brunch
⭐️ Customise your toppings
Sarah’s French Toast Tips
Type of bread
I do sometimes use a different bread but it’s not quite the same as sliced brioche, as it’s a little sweeter so is in keeping with the flavours, and perfect with berries and maple syrup on top (my favourite!)
If you want to make this a more savoury dish (à la eggy bread!) you could simply use whatever bread you have and leave out the vanilla and cinnamon. It’d be delicious with some bacon on the side.
Bread going slightly stale?
If you have some bread in the cupboard that’s past its best, turn it into French Toast! This is the perfect way to stop it from going to waste.
The slices might just need a little extra soaking time if they’re a going hard.
How to get crispy French Toast
To make sure it’s fluffy and crispy, don’t oversoak the bread. If your pan isn’t big enough for all the slices at once, cook them in batches and only soak the brioche just before you fry it.
Also, add in half the butter and fry your bread on one side until it’s browning and crispy, then turn it over and add the rest of the butter to fry that side until crispy too.
French Toast Ingredients
- Eggs – You will need about 4 eggs for this recipe, which is a typical serving for 4, using 8 slices of bread. I always use medium, free-range eggs in my recipes, so bear this in mind when it comes to quantities.
- Milk – You can use whichever milk you prefer for this recipe. Cow’s milk or dairy-free all work fine.
- Vanilla extract – It’s important NOT to use vanilla essence instead. This is more synthetic and doesn’t taste as good.
- Cinnamon – This is so good for a little warming, spicy flavour, but leave out if you don’t like it.
- Butter – I use unsalted for this recipe but it’s fine to use salted too.
- Brioche – Use 8 thick slices for this recipe.
- For serving – I like maple syrup and berries, but go for your favourite topping.
How to make French Toast
1. Whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla extract and cinnamon together in a bowl (as per the full recipe below).
2. Place the slices of brioche in the egg mixture for a few seconds on each side.
3. Heat some butter and place the bread into the frying pan with it. Cook until crispy.
4. Flip and cook the other side. Add the rest of the butter. Serve hot with a drizzle of maple syrup and some fresh berries.
Storing
French Toast is best eaten as soon as it’s made otherwise it will go soggy (but still delicious!)
Can you freeze French Toast? It’s best enjoyed fresh. However, if you have any brioche going stale, freeze the slices and then defrost and use to make this. You won’t have notice it was once frozen when it’s been dipped as in this recipe.
More tasty brunch recipes…
Breakfast
Shakshuka Recipe
Lunch Ideas
Frittata Recipe {Smoked Salmon and Broccoli}
Light Bites
Welsh Rarebit
FAQs
It’s best to only dip it in and coat the bread, leaving maybe for seconds rather than minutes, as we don’t want it to fall apart. If you’re using slightly harder bread that’s going stale, you can leave it in the mixture for a little longer to soften it up again though.
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French Toast
Ingredients
- 4 Eggs, Medium, free range
- 300 ml (1.3 cups) Milk
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 60 g (2 oz) Butter, For frying
- 8 Thick slices of brioche
For serving:
- Maple syrup and berries
Instructions
- Make the eggy mixture: Whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla extract and cinnamon together in a wide bowl or baking tray.
- Melt the butter: Heat half of the butter in a large frying pan over a medium high heat.
- Time to fry: Place the slices of brioche in the egg mixture for a few seconds on each side then place in the pan.
- Flip over, add more butter: Cook for 30 seconds or so until crispy and golden then carefully flip and cook on the other side. Add the rest of the butter when you flip the slices over. (If your pan isn’t big enough for all the slices at once, cook them in batches only soaking the brioche just before you fry it.)
- Add your toppings: Serve hot with a drizzle of maple syrup and some fresh berries.
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutritional values are per portion unless otherwise stated.
