Classic French Toast (with Challah)

Classic French Toast

New York Times Cooking

We've always enjoyed "breakfast for dinner," usually comprising either omelets, pancakes or French toast (I'm not a fan of waffles, as they require far too much butter and syrup to make them palatable), and with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, I find I'm adding these simple meals to our weekly rotation far more often than ever before. I like homemade buttermilk pancakes, but French toast has always come in second place when trying to decide between the two. Not anymore!

Until recently, I had always made French toast with a simple mixture of eggs and milk. No extra egg yolks, vanilla, salt or cream. And, the bread has always been a simple white sandwich variety (usually Oroweat's Country or Buttermilk). But all this changed a few weeks ago when I made my first loaf of challah (recipe shared here). It was so delicious and I was quite content eating a warm slice with a small pat of butter. But then I started reading comments about how great it is for French toast, so I began to search for a more sophisticated recipe than the one I'd been using for almost 40 years. I tried this simple recipe from the New York Times and couldn't get over how just a few changes to the ingredients could elevate such a basic recipe. Delicious!

Ingredients

2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
2 cups whole milk (1 3/4 cups milk, plus 2-4 Tbsp. heavy cream)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Unsalted butter (for cooking)
8 slices white bread, such as Pullman, brioche or challah, sliced 1/2-3/4 inch thick
Cinnamon sugar or granulated sugar (see tips)


In a shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk the eggs, additional yolks, milk/cream, vanilla and salt until foamy and smooth. 

Heat a large griddle (or a large, heavy nonstick skillet) to 350 degrees. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter until just sizzling. 

Place 2 slices of bread in the bowl with the egg mixture, turning them a few times until evenly saturated. Do not soak.

Remove bread, allowing any excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Place on griddle and repeat you run out of space. Cook the slices for about 2 minutes, until golden brown. Add another pat of butter to the griddle and flip the slices over, making sure that the freshly melted butter coats the bottoms of the bread slices. 

Continue cooking until the second side is golden brown. If using cinnamon sugar, dust one side, then flip over and dust the other side. 

Test for doneness by pressing the center. The dent should slowly spring back. If it remains, the interior is not yet cooked. Continue cooking over medium heat, flipping occasionally, until done. 

Serve immediately, or transfer to a plate in a preheated oven (200 degrees) to keep warm while cooking the remaining slices of bread. 

Top with maple syrup, berries, jam, sliced bananas - whatever you'd like.

Tip - Dusting the slices with sugar gives them a lacy, brown crust; plain or cinnamon can be used.

My Notes:

Hands down, challah is the best bread for French toast.

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Challah

Challah

(click on link for more information and history)

I think I have only tasted challah once and I never thought I was capable of making it; it looks so complicated with its fancy braid! I've made bread, but haven't had luck with biscuits or rolls, so this was a little intimidating. I shouldn't have worried. It was so easy and turned out perfectly! It isn't an eggy challah, so I may try other recipes, but if you don't mind the lack of egg flavor, give it a try. It will impress your dinner guests! And, as many have said, it's excellent for French Toast the following day.

I found this recipe on Bon Appetit's website. Senior editor Julia Kramer’s mother, Jill Weinberg, shared her family’s recipe. What a treat!

INGREDIENTS

2 ¼-ounce envelopes active dry yeast (about 4½ teaspoons)
2 teaspoons plus ¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
4¾ teaspoons kosher salt
½ cup shortening, melted, plus more for greasing (canola oil or butter)
7 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 large egg yolks
Sesame seeds (for serving)

PREPARATION

Whisk yeast, 2 tsp. sugar, and ¼ cup warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if kneading by hand). Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.

Whisk eggs, salt, ½ cup shortening, ¾ cup sugar, and 2 cups warm water in a medium bowl. Add egg mixture and 7 cups flour to yeast mixture. Beat with dough hook on medium speed until dough is smooth, elastic, and very sticky and pulls away from sides of bowl, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.)

Grease a large bowl with shortening; transfer dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place until doubled in size, 1½–2 hours.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 equal portions. Shape each into a 17"-long rope.

Grease 2 rimmed baking sheets with shortening. Place 3 ropes side by side on each prepared sheet. Working with one at a time, pinch logs together at 1 end; braid, then pinch ends together and tuck under. Let sit in a warm place until 1½ times larger, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325°. Beat egg yolks and 2 Tbsp. water in a small bowl. Working with one at a time, brush dough with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake first loaf 15 minutes, then increase oven temperature to 425° (see my notes!) and continue baking until browned and sounds hollow when tapped, 15–20 minutes more. Let cool on baking sheet.

Reduce oven temperature to 325°, then leave oven door open 5 seconds to cool down. Repeat baking with remaining dough.

Do Ahead: Challah can be made 3 days ahead; keep tightly wrapped at room temperature, or freeze up to 1 month. Let cool before storing.

My Notes:

I cut the recipe in half since I wasn't sure how well I would like it and didn't want to use up our precious yeast (I prepared this during COVID-19 pandemic)! The above recipe is for two loaves. 

I read several comments about the oven temperature being too hot (at 425), so I baked the loaf at 325 for the first 10 minutes and then at 375 for 15-20 more minutes.

I also reduced the amount of water by about 1/4 cup for each loaf. So, if you make the regular recipe (for two loaves), I would recommend using 1 1/2 cups of water; for one loaf, I used 3/4. I also used about 4 cups of flour for my single loaf. 

I omitted the sesame seeds since I wanted to use some of the bread for French Toast. 

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Mary's Herb Bread

I was a little girl when I first tasted my Great-Aunt Mary Kristofferson's herb bread. If I remember correctly, we had gone to her home for a family Easter brunch. I don't remember who was there, but I do remember she served poached salmon (which, at the time, I did not like!) and this delicious bread (which I devoured!). I've had the recipe for many years, but not being an avid bread baker, have only made it a couple of times. I think my husband is now convinced that in spite of having "plants" in the dough, it's pretty darned good, so it will now be added to my "tried and true" rotation of favorites. 

As far as the origination of the recipe, that's up for debate. My mom has it on a recipe card in her mother's (Mary's sister, Mardie) handwriting, so it may well be Mardie's Herb Bread and not Mary's. I'm sure if I Google "herb bread," I'll discover that it's neither sister's, but that would only spoil the family history, so please don't correct me.

Mary's Herb Bread

3 cups water, lukewarm
2 Tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. marjoram
8 cups flour

In a large mixing bowl, combine water, sugar, yeast and salt.
Let stand for 5 minutes.
Add oregano, basil and marjoram.
Gradually add flour.
Knead 8-10 minutes until smooth.
Cover with dishtowel and place in warm place to rise for about 1 1/2 hours or until doubled.
Knead lightly for 1 minute.
Divide into three portions. Shape into loaves.
Place in greased and cornmeal-sprinkled bread pans.
Cover and allow to rise until doubled in size.
Bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes.
When cool, slice.
Mix some herb seasonings into soft butter and spread on slices. (Optional)
Ready to heat and serve.
Can be frozen in foil and heated for large party.

My Notes:

I measure out the flour into a separate bowl, so I don't lose track of how many cups I've used. I also add the herbs to the flour mixture before gradually adding it to the yeast mixture.

I use a Kitchen Aid stand mixer with a bread hook and don't pay attention to the time it takes to "knead" the dough. I simply add the flour one cup at a time until well mixed.

I transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl that has a little bit of vegetable oil brushed on the surface so the dough won't stick.

I grease the bread pans with a little vegetable oil (as I did for the large mixing bowl), but skipped the cornmeal step.

I removed the finished loaves from the bread pans, brushed the tops with a little bit of butter, and allowed the loaves to cool on baking racks.

I don't bother with an herb flavored butter, but the herbs in the bread are very subtle, so I may increase those amounts next time around.

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