I hated bananas from the tender age of 6 straight through until the ripe old age of 32.5. I remember it very distinctly. I was with my parents in the Disneyland parking lot. I saw a man eating a banana, chewing wide with his mouth open. I couldn’t take my eyes away because it was 100% disgusting. Have you ever seen anyone eat a banana, chewing with their mouth open? Even in my six year old brains I was like… WELP, there goes that fruit. BANANAS ARE DISGUSTING.
I had a similar experience in a chain diner with a plate of cold french toast. It was rubbery, and weird and no amount of powdered sugar or maple syrup could save it. In my child brains I was like.. WELP, there goes that fine breakfast food. Until, that is, last Sunday when I was staring down a fine loaf of soft brioche, two eggs, and some heavy cream think… I really should give this another shot.
I was so wrong. French Toast, especially when made in very small, personal-sized batches, is DELICIOUS! Not soggy or rubbery. Best eaten in silence with hot coffee and weird Internet news (as one does with the weekend).
If we’re going to take the time to turn our bread and eggs into French Toast, we might as well use the best bread we can.
Go for an eggy brioche. It’s like a pillow of bread, egg, and butter. It’s absolutely delicious on its own so, surely it will be extra divine as French Toast!
Sidenote: do the French eat French Toast?
Two eggs are whisked very well with heavy cream. Cinnamon is mixed with sugar and added to the eggs and cream. Mixing the sugar with the cinnamon will keep the cinnamon from being lumpy clumpy as it’s whisked into the wet ingredients.
Here’s the deal: I made two stellar slices of French Toast. Two for me… that’s right. If you’d like to make this a serving for two, double the bread, add more cream and a dash more sugar. Not hard. Easy as can be. The instructions for a small but double batch of French Toast are below.
Thick sliced brioche is dipped into the sweetened egg and cream. Allow to bread to sit and soak for 15 seconds. Enough for a creamy and eggy bread… not soggy.
Flip and do the same! For a single batch, you’ll have some extra egg mixture. That’s just how this goes. For a double bath, you’ll have less extra. It’s all good.
From the egg mixture to the hot pan with melted butter.
One flip will do, and we’re off to French Toast heaven.
Cool quickly, until all two or four slices are butter-toasted and browned. Top with more cinnamon sugar, a few colored sprinkles, and/or pure maple syrup.
I feel like I’ve figured out at least part of you weekend. I hope the rest is a good one.
Also… I mostly like bananas now. In case you were worried. (I can’t imagine you were.)
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French Toast for One or Two
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 4
- Total Time: 14 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup heavy cream, half and half, or whole milk (use 1/2 cup for 2 servings)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (1 1/2 tablespoon for 2 servings)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (heaping 1/4 teaspoon for 2 servings)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 or 4 thick slices brioche bread (4 slices will be for 2 servings)
- 2 tablespoons butter (3 tablespoons for 2 servings)
- pure maple syrup for serving
Instructions
- In a medium shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and cream (or whatever milk you’re using). In a small bowl, stir together the granulated and cinnamon. Stirring the sugar and cinnamon together will keep the cinnamon from clumping up in the egg mixture. Whisk the eggs, cream, sugar and cinnamon until the egg whites are broken down and well mixed into the cream.
- Place a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add a pat of butter, about 1 tablespoon and allow to melt. Dip one slice of brioche into the egg mixture. Allow to sit for 15 seconds then flip to moisten and coat the other side. Allow to sit for another 15 seconds.
- Place the dipped slice of bread in the hot skillet and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute and 30 seconds. Gently flip and cook on the other side until golden brown. Don’t press down and flatten the toast. Keep it fluffy. Continue until both or all of the slices are cooked, adding more butter to the pan as necessary throughout cooking.
- Serve warm with more cinnamon sugar and maple syrup. Bacon, too… because always.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
62 Responses
I love French toast, especially when it’s slightly crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside
So good, highly recommend ??
We eat without sugar but with Worcester sauce, yummy
i have never had french toast but this recipe makes me want to try it!
Made this as is using French bread leftover from last night….it was surprisingly delicious even tho I forgot the vanilla.
French toasts are so good! And yes, French people eat those toasts, but they call it “pain perdu”, literally “lost bread”. They can use either bread or brioche! And the best is to use stale bread, that you let soak in the mixture a long time before cooking it, that’s way it becomes soft and sweet! That’s how they do it, and it alouds to eat old bread! And it’s so good… But using brioche is also really good! French people are really good cookers!
Thank you for that wonderful recipe!
Amazing recipe!
And yes we the French do eat it, we call it: Pain perdu, literally “lost bread” haha.
Thanks
We do eat “French toasts” in France, but we call it “Pain Perdu”. Because the recipe originally called for staled bread slices. (“perdu” means lost.) Great recipe, Joy!
Tasty recipe. I would add less sugar next time, it was a bit sweet with added maple syrup.
The recipe doesn’t state when to mix in the vanilla, but I assume it is whisked in after the sugar and cinnamon.
Where does one find such beautiful brioche?
Why in Italy we don’t eat these marvellous things for breakfast? Oh gosh!!
https://justsem.wordpress.com/
My mom always made French Toast with a similar method. But with an genius way to measure the milk/cream – crack the egg and use the half shell to measure the liquid. Use 2 half shell measurements per egg. Fewer dishes and always delicious.
Love your site, Joy! :)
We do eat french toast but we call it “pain perdu”, which literally means “lost bread”, because it was originally made with old bread that was too hard to be eaten. The recipe isn’t exactly the same though, but yours looks delicious!
xxx
French toast is one of my favourites! This recipe looks like such a treat!
xoxoBella | https://xoxobella.com
(I was honestly a little worried about your banana situation. I also DESPISE the fruit so admire you for giving them another go. I try a little bite every few months (b/c it would be nice and easy to like bananas again), but no dice. What made you like them again?)
I so identify with your banana story. I worked with a woman who always chewed with her mouth open. She would chew at talk at lunch meeting and it was all I could do to not excuse myself and leave the room. I often wondered if others were as repulsed.
That said, I do like bananas and LOVE french toast. Your version looks so decadent and delicious…yum.
Love! It looks so delicious!!!!
Abbie E.
https://abulouslife.blogspot.com/
Maybe a silly question, but are you using fresh bread? I have always dried it out a bit or gotten stale.
I feel the same about bananas. I can eat them now, but only if there are no better options. :) I looove French toast though, always have.
Mash a ripe banana into your cream mixture next time you make French toast. You’ll need to cook it at a lower temperature so the banana sugar doesn’t burn, but the extra effort is sooo worth it. Substituting the banana for the egg and coconut cream – or better yet, vegan “eggnog” – for the dairy cream is how I make vegan French toast.
oh wow! sounds great!
I love reading your blog! I have subscribed to others and then unsubscribed because they weren’t as good as yours. I made your French toast today, delicious. The vanilla in the ingredients isn’t in the instructions. The best French toast is at Wildwood Cafe in McMinnville, Oregon and Sassy Onion Grill in Salem, Oregon. They put a layer of oats on the outside so it is crunchy. They don’t serve it that way in Seattle and I tried making my own but haven’t gotten it down yet. If you could figure out a way to put crunchy oats on it that would be awesome! (I tried mixing quick cook oats with cinnamon and sugar and dipping the eggy bread in them. It is good, but not GREAT. Maybe I need better bread, cream and old-fashioned oats.)
Crunchy oat French Toast!? I’ll put my brainpower on this!
Uhhhh… YUM! I have Celiac disease and can’t eat bread, but my beloved can and he will be thanking you for all eternity for this recipe!!!
-sara
https://almostpaleokitchen.blogspot.com/
Love good French toast. Incidentally WDW’s Tonga toast is the best–has a banana in it.
You’ve got me thinking about making French toast for breakfast tomorrow. I love eggy anything! I’ve done a version where Greek yogurt is mixed into milk and then beaten into the eggs. I kinda like the tartness since we’re going to pour a load of syrup/honey over, aren’t we? But that made think a little too hard about the nationality of the toast. French/Greek/European?
Oh you KNOW I’m all over this small batch situation! I love this! I was picking out bread at my CSA today, and I turned down the brioche. What is wrong with me? I went with this healthy seedy nutty bread. Shoulda had the brioche. <—my new life slogan.
If the French don’t eat French toast, the Spanish do! Well, their version, anyway, called torrijas (bread soaked in milk, dipped in beaten eggs, and fried in olive oil [no butter]). They’re not as good as French toast (shhhh!), but they’re good nonetheless.
Hello!
This is an amazing post! I’m featuring it in my Friday Favorites tomorrow! Check it out!
Quick question for you… I’ve made this recipe/ones like it a few times and always end up with some wet eggy creaminess in the middle of the toast. This doesn’t bother me but my sister always complains about it… I’ve tried cooking for longer over lower heat and also slicing the bread a bit thinner but when I do that I end up with something that tastes kind of overdone. I guess my question is, is allowing some wetness to remain uncooked the norm? Or am I doing something wrong?
I think a bit of inner sogginess (just a bit) is part of the deal.
If you want to hugely increase this recipe for a family, I have found that frozen french toast slices, put in the toaster before school in the morning, makes a great, fast, healthy, protein filled breakfast. I do whole loaves at a time so I have plenty to freeze. I’ll try this recipe asap.
I’m so glad you gave french toast another shot. My husband makes a version where he adds orange juice and vanilla to the milk and eggs- it’s fantastic.
I can’t explain how much I love your “portioned” for one breakfasts and desserts. Like, I love (good) French toast, but I live by myself, so there is no way in hell I’m gonna make like 15 slices at a time. This, though, this is perfect.
I’m lookin’ out for us!
Yum! I love a good french toast (which is almost always one made at home… I wonder why it’s never as good out?)
We always scramble up those leftover eggs for a weird, but oddly pleasant cinnamon scrambled eggs to go on the side – works with the syrup and all. Which is kind of like how we eat matzo brei sometimes, so maybe not that weird?
In any case, now I just need to get my hands on some bread!
Try making French Toast with Italian Panettone bread. It’ll begin showing up again shortly for the holidays. Fabulous and fruity!
that sounds fantastic!
This looks divine! I’m excited to try this out — it’s been forever since I’ve had one.
x Sarah
https://www.bohochiccafe.com
That French toast looks amazing! I loved your tip about adding the cinnamon to the sugar before whisking it into the egg mixture! I always get annoying clumps of cinnamon in my custard but I am going to try this next time!
so, i love you a little bit in the very appropriate read your blog and buy your cookbooks but stay in my own kitchen way. and i’ve never commented here before so i felt like you should know.
but, mostly, did you see that bit in bon appetit about using buttermilk in your french toast? it’s genius.
I totally get it with bananas. I have many a story much like yours- my 6 year-old brain did that all the time! But this french toast looks delicious and perfect. I love that you used brioche bread because I always use challah when I can get my hands on it. The more pillowy the bread, the better! Can’t wait to try this recipe!
xx Sydney
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Jag är en kvinna på 36 år och jag bor i örebro och jag är lite ny på att blogga så skriv gärna ner era bloggnamn. Min blogg namn är michelleslifeinsweden.blogg.se så jag kan titta och inspireras till eran blogg med och ni kan gärna titta in min blogg och kommentera jag kommer från philipines manila.
YES! French toast is so freaking good if it’s make right but if it’s made wrong there is just no turning back!
French toast is probably my favorite. This looks so delicious! I would make for two and eat all of it myself. :)
Love this recipe! Thx…
Thanks for thinking of us single folk. I enjoyed this very much. One thing, you call for vanilla extract but I don’t see it in your instruction. Did I miss it?
My idea of heaven is french toast for breakfast! Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Bananas are still disgusting. I yearn for the day when some random fungus makes good on its threat to destroy them all.
Oh my gosh. I strongly dislike bananas too! Finally someone else!!! and great recipe of course! =)
Don’t know if the French eat French toast but years ago, I met some French sailors and they didn’t know what a French kiss was. Also, the Dutch never heard of a Dutch oven and Belgians never heard of Belgian blocks – the rectangular granite blocks used to pave old streets, like in Philadelphia.
I’m going to have to do this! I’ve only made french toast in casserole form for the last 24 yrs (the age of my eldest son). So time for “me” french toast…ok maybe my mom too! Thanks for sharing!
The French do eat French toast! They call it ‘pain perdu’ which means lost bread, because it’s a way to save your day old bread that’s gone stale and would otherwise be lost.
Nice, very nice to know!
I love French toast, especially when it’s slightly crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside
And to answer your question: yes, French people do eat French toast. We just don’t call it French Toast, but Lost Bread ;)
You MUST try this with Trader Joe’s new Bourbon Barrel aged Maple Syrup. I don’t even like maple syrup and I love that stuff. Also, brioche or challah bread are the ONLY way to make french toast.
I made french toast just this morning! I will have to try it this way!! I have even heard of ‘banana bread french toast!’, and ‘stuffed french toast’ – where two slices are sandwiched with something fabulous like nutella – and the last version comes from my lovely Australian neighbour who tells me they eat it with ketchup!!!! would you try that? also, in french, it’s ‘pain dore’ (dor-ay) which translates to ‘golden bread’ – isn’t that neat!
French toast is my love language. And not the soggy kind from Denny’s. This looks fantabulous. Thanks.
Eating bananas with your mouth wide open is so disgusting – I once had a teacher who used to do that every. single. lunch break. Ugh! Needlessly to say that everyone instantly fled the room.. But I like bananas anyway and bet they are stellar with this single-serving weekend breakfast ;-)
This is how I love my french toast as well, it’s sometimes even more desired than pancakes or waffles. Oh and if you stuff something in the middle of that brioche is even better! Dessert for breakfast anyone?
French toast is a heavenly breakfast!
It’s one of the dishes that I taught my husband to make, so whenever I feel like a special breakfast, I count on him to whip it up :) Cheers to fresh, pillowy, cinnamony french toast!
I’m a recovered nana-hater too! I feel bad now when I think of how many good bananas I could have eaten the whole time I was busy hating on them. I love that you used them for your french toast. It looks and sounds incredible and small serving recipes are always nice for when you want something fast but don’t want to eat 12 servings. Yum!