French Toast Extra Crisp Cooks Illustrated Food

PERFECT FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk 4 eggs, 1 1/2 cups half-and-half or milk, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon sugar and a pinch of salt in a shallow bowl. Heat 1/2 tablespoon butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, dip 6 thick slices white bread, challah or brioche in the egg mixture and cook in the skillet until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side, adding more butter as needed. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until puffed, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in the same skillet until browned, about 5 minutes. Drizzle the French toast with the browned butter and maple syrup.

EXTRA CRISPY FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Mix together the flour, sugar, vanilla, salt and cinnamon.
• Mix in the eggs and milk to the flour, sugar, vanilla, salt and cinnamon mixture.
• Heat a deep, large skillet, fill up with Canola Oil just enough to cover the Texas toast thick bread.
• If the oil smokes, your pan is too hot; turn down the heat.
• With tongs, dip the slice of bread into the batter for 30 to 45 seconds or more, depending on how crispy you want it!
• Let the oil drip off, as much as possible.
• To serve, put on plate, dust with powdered sugar. Serve with butter and hot syrup.

CRISPY BAKED FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Beat eggs together with milk, sugar and Vanilla extract in shallow bowl until well blended. Place panko in pie pan or shallow dish. Dip each bread slice into egg mixture, thoroughly coating both sides; then coat both sides of bread slices with bread crumbs. Place on large wire rack.
• Add butter and oil into 17-1/4 x 11-1/2-inch jellyroll pan. Place pan in 400 degrees F. oven 1 to 2 minutes, or until butter melts. Remove pan from oven.
• Place bread slices into pan, in single layer, turning over once to coat both sides of bread slices with butter mixture.
• Return to oven and bake 15 minutes. Turn bread slices over and bake 10 minutes longer, or until golden brown.
• Serve with butter and maple syrup.

PECAN RUM FRENCH TOAST (COOK'S ILLUSTRATED)

Steps:

• Process 1/2 cup pecans, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in food processor until coarsely ground, 12 to 15 one-second pulses (you should have about 1/2 cup crumbs).
• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Place bread on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Bake bread until almost dry throughout (center should remain slightly moist), about 16 minutes, flipping slices halfway through cooking. Remove bread from rack and let cool 5 minutes. Return baking sheet with wire rack to oven and reduce temperature to 200 degrees.
• Whisk milk, yolks, sugar, cinnamon, 2 tablespoons melted butter, salt, vanilla, and rum in large bowl until well blended. Transfer mixture to 13- by 9-inch baking pan.
• Soak bread in milk mixture until saturated but not falling apart, 20 seconds per side. Using firm slotted spatula, pick up bread slice and allow excess milk mixture to drip off; repeat with remaining slices. Place soaked bread on another baking sheet or platter. Sprinkle each slice of soaked bread with 1 tablespoon nut mixture.
• Heat ½ tablespoon butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. When foaming subsides, use slotted spatula to transfer 2 slices soaked bread to skillet-nut mixture side down-and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until second side is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes longer. (If toast is cooking too quickly, reduce temperature slightly.) Transfer to baking sheet in oven. Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Repeat cooking with remaining bread, 2 pieces at a time, adding ½ tablespoon of butter for each batch. Serve warm, passing maple syrup separately.

CLASSIC FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200 degrees, and place a wire rack on a sheet pan inside.
• In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs, additional yolks, milk, vanilla (if using) and salt until foamy and smooth. Set aside. Place a small lump of butter (enough to coat the bottom of the skillet when melted) in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over low heat. It will melt very slowly.
• When butter is just melted and bubbling, raise heat and bring to a sizzle. Place 2 slices of bread in the bowl with the egg mixture. Turn them a few times in the mixture until evenly saturated, about 5 seconds on each side. Do not soak.
• Lift a slice out of the egg mixture, gently shake off any excess, and place in the pan. Repeat until the skillet is full, and let the slices cook at a sizzle for about 2 minutes, until just turning golden brown on the bottom.
• Add another small lump of butter to the pan and flip the slices over, swirling the pan so that the fresh butter coats the bottom. (This will allow the second side to brown.)
• Continue cooking over low heat until the second side is golden brown. Dust with cinnamon sugar, flip again, 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 at low heat, flipping occasionally, until done. Serve immediately, or transfer to the oven to keep warm while cooking remaining bread. Serve as soon as possible. Top with maple syrup, berries, jam, sliced bananas, orange supremes - whatever you'd like.

STUFFED FRENCH TOAST (COOK'S ILLUSTRATED)

Steps:

• Microwave the cream cheese (in a large bowl) on high just until softened, 5 to 10 seconds. Check it. You'd be surprised how microwave ovens vary.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons of the sugar and all of the cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir till smooth. Wrap tightly and chill for about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to the middle position. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Arrange the bread on a rack set over a rimmed baking sleet. Bake it until slightly dry, about 15 minutes. (I would say "or stale bread", but if you're familiar with their exhaustive testing approach, it's best to just trust them and do this step.).
• Spread the cream cheese evenly over 4 pieces of bread. Leave a 1/2-inch at the edges. ( If you do not leave the border clear, it will just come out while cooking and be wasted.) Lightly press the rest of the slices over the top to make 4 sturdy sandwiches.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk it with the milk, egg, vanilla, salt and the remaining 2 T. of sugar. Slowly whisk in the flour until smooth. Pour the batter into a large shallow dish.
• Slide 2 sandwiches into the batter and soak both sides, about 1 minute per side. Meanwhile, melt 1 more T. of the butter in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat until it begins to brown, swirling to coat the pan.
• Remove the bread from the batter. Let excess batter drip back in the dish. Lay two sandwiches in the hot skillet. Cook until golden brown on both sides, about 2.5 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the other two sandwiches.

FRENCH TOAST - EXTRA CRISP - COOK'S ILLUSTRATED RECIPE

Steps:

• EXTRA-CRISP FRENCH TOAST Serves 4. Published January 1, 2009. From Cook's Illustrated. For best results, choose a good challah or a firm, high-quality sandwich bread, such as Arnold Country Classics White or Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White. Thomas' English Muffin Toasting Bread also works well. If you purchase an unsliced loaf, cut the bread into 1/2-inch-thick slices. To prevent the butter from clumping during mixing, warm the milk in a microwave or small saucepan until warm to the touch (about 80 degrees). The French toast can be cooked all at once on an electric griddle, but may take an extra 2 to 3 minutes per side. Set the griddle temperature to 350 degrees and use the entire amount of butter for cooking. INSTRUCTIONS 1. Tear one piece of bread or challah into 1-inch pieces and process with 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon in food processor until finely ground, 8 to 12 one-second pulses (you should have about 1/2 cup crumbs). 2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Place remaining 8 pieces of bread on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Bake bread until almost dry throughout (center should remain slightly moist), about 16 minutes, flipping slices halfway through cooking. Remove bread from rack and let cool 5 minutes. Return baking sheet with wire rack to oven and reduce temperature to 200 degrees. 3. Whisk milk, yolks, remaining sugar and cinnamon, 2 tablespoons melted butter, salt, and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Transfer mixture to 13- by 9-inch baking pan. 4. Soak toasted bread in milk mixture until saturated but not falling apart, 20 seconds per side. Using firm slotted spatula, pick up bread slice and allow excess milk mixture to drip off; repeat with remaining slices. Place soaked bread on another baking sheet or platter. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon bread crumb mixture over one side of each slice of soaked bread. 5. Heat ½ tablespoon butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. When foaming subsides, use slotted spatula to transfer 2 slices soaked bread, crumb-mixture side down first, to skillet and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until second side is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes longer. (If toast is cooking too quickly, reduce temperature slightly.) Transfer to baking sheet in oven. Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Repeat cooking with remaining bread, 2 pieces at a time, adding ½ tablespoon of butter for each batch. Serve warm, passing maple syrup separately. Keys to Perfect French Toast 1. START WITH DRY BREAD Drying bread in 300-degree oven before soaking and frying leads to toast that's soft, not soggy. 2. HOLD THE WHITES Using yolks, not whites, in soaking liquid cuts down on eggy flavor. 3. SOAK PROPERLY Soaking bread in flat baking pan for just 20 seconds per side ensures even saturation and no sogginess.