Manly French Toast

Manly Kitchen Manly French ToastWhen we think of food from other countries, we often think “gourmet,” especially when it comes to the French. And yet many recipes actually had very humble beginnings. Beef Burgundy uses wine to tenderize a tough (cheap) cut of beef. Coq au Van (chicken with wine) uses wine to soften up an old bird. And French Toast is a way to use stale bread, as well as extending a few eggs into a filling meal.

Interesting Tidbit: The French call this recipe pain perdu, which means “lost bread.”

From this poor man’s fare has grown a broad array of fancy recipes. I’ve already posted Easy French Toast, which is about as easy as it gets. It’s also the way my mom used to make it. This recipe is more complex, but it’s not that difficult to prepare. The only difference is the extra ingredients that bring this recipe to higher a level.

Here’s the real difference, though: The easy French Toast is for days when you have less time, such as a weekday morning. It’s also for times when you’re not out to impress anyone. This recipe is dressed to impress. This is the one you serve the “morning after,” or to her parents when they come for brunch with a skeptical look in their eye. You know the look I’m talking about. Combine this with some old school respect (yes, sir; no ma’am; please don’t trouble yourself, I can get that), and you’ll be well on your way to melting down the walls. So let’s go have some fun, shall we? Time to play, y’all!

Ingredients:

Manly Kitchen Manly French Toast6 large eggs
1-1/2 cups half and half or light cream
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

8 thick slices of 2 day old French or Italian bread
Unsalted butter
Vegetable oil

Maple syrup and/or other toppings (see below)

Instructions:

Pre-heat your oven to 200°. Set up a wire rack in a baking pan and have it handy. You’ll be using that rack to keep the toast warm in the oven until ready to serve.

Slice your bread and set aside.

Crack the eggs into a large bowl, and using a whisk, beat the tar out of them.

Manly Kitchen Manly French ToastAdd the next seven ingredients and beat again. It helps to warm the honey in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds. Make sure you’ve really combined the eggs and half and half so everything gets happy.

Lay your bread slices in large baking dishes, or something similar. You want the sides to be as tall as the bread, or taller.

After giving your egg mixture one last beating – just because – pour it all over the bread. Let the bread slices soak for 8 to 10 minutes per side. Let them languish in that egg/cream bath. Let them get really, really happy. Believe me, it’s worth it.

Heat your largest skillet, or perhaps two, over medium heat. When hot, add a little butter and vegetable oil and heat until it shimmers.

Add one or two slices of bread to each pan and fry for 3 to 5 minutes. Turn and brown the other side for an equal amount of time.

When done, remove to wire rack and place baking pan and rack in oven.

Continue until all bread has been toasted.

Serve immediately with warm maple syrup or other toppings. (See below.)

Manly Kitchen Manly French ToastNotes:

I get the best results out of two to three day old Italian bread. Italian loaves area usually larger than French, so I get bigger slices. I also cut the bread on a diagonal, so the slices are longer than if you did a standard cross cut. The angled crusts look pretty nice, too. But don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of bread to see which ones you prefer.

It’s very important to keep the cooked slices hot in the oven. Don’t skip this step or you’ll mess everything up. You’ll lose Manly Points, too. At least 50 per person served. So heads up!

The classic toppings are a pat of softened butter and pure maple syrup. Many like to dress the toast before serving with a sifting on powdered sugar. I agree it looks good, but some prefer to omit this step to avoid the extra sugar. And it’s fair to say this recipe is pretty darn sweet without it. If you can afford it, go for the pure maple syrup. When I was young and just starting out, I learned to use less syrup so I could save money. This is one luxury upgrade that’s really worth it.

Manly Kitchen Manly French ToastIn addition to – or instead of – syrup, you can top your toast with fresh berries, such as strawberries and/or blueberries. If you’re serving them with syrup, no need to sweeten them up. But if you’re omitting the syrup, you can sprinkle some powdered sugar over them, toss them and set aside before you start everything else. Every so often, toss them again and add a bit more powdered sugar if you need to.

Other fruit works well, too. Cinnamon apples are amazing, as are peaches. Boysenberries, blackberries, raspberries, cantelope (it rocked!); I’ve even seen kiwi. Don’t be shy, but do save the experimentation for a time when impressing the daylights out of guests is not the goal. It’s always better to perfect a recipe before using it to impress someone. At least until you gain greater confidence in the kitchen. (And that’s what practice is all about.)

A plate of really good French Toast requires no accompaniment, but do feel free to serve a meat product and some orange juice or a mimosa (add champagne to the OJ; done!). And guys, I’m telling you: this is a great recipe to serve in bed. Early daylight shining through the window… maybe some birds singing. Is there any better way to spend a weekend morning with the one you love? I think not! Have fun, and remember to…

Play with your food!

Lane

I have more Breakfast Recipes here.


Did you like this recipe? What recipes would you like to learn? Leave me a comment and tell me your thoughts! (And don’t forget to LIKE this post!) Share it using the tiles below.

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Lane

About Lane

Lane Baldwin is a an internationally-acclaimed singer, songwriter, author and food lover. He wasn't trained in France, and he doesn't have his own TV show. He just loves to cook, and loves sharing what he's learned over the years. In his "real life," Lane has toured the world, bringing his special brand of Blues-infused Americana to millions of fans. At home he leads a quiet life filled with good books, good food and good friends.