French Toast

Recipe: French Toast

French Toast is an easy to make, delicious, rich, fluffy breakfast made from eggs, milk, thick slices of bread, cinnamon and served with a generous drizzle of maple syrup. It is my favourite breakfast or brunch whenever we go out for brunch. I never get tired of it. Restaurants tend to serve a huge variety of it.

Pair French Toast with roasted potatoes and bacon, go for dollops of butter and whipped cream. Or nowadays the option is pistachio butter, bits of white chocolate and chopped pistachios. You have the casserole variety, some made with croissants, bagels, etc. Then there is Nutella, chocolate chips and strawberries. I still have to try out the P&J version. Some restaurants serve it with a fresh fruit compote. The options are endless.

What Is French Toast?

French Toast as we know it today is bread soaked in an egg and milk mixture and pan fried using oil or butter. French toast is not a part of the  French Cuisine.  It’s not what the French have for breakfast. However the French name for this dish is pain perdu, meaning lost bread. It is more of a snack than a breakfast in France. 

The Origins

In fact this dish  existed during Roman Empire, known as Pan Dulcis. Actually, it is  believed that it was a good way to use up stale bread and stretch breads and eggs especially for the poor. This recipe existed in Medieval Europe with original names. During the Middle Age it was known as Arme Ritter or Poor Knights in Germany, known as torrijas in Spain. In the UK it goes by the name eggy bread or Gypsy Toast. Around the 14th Century it was known as the Poor Knights of Windsor. Known as pain Perdu all over Quebec, it is on every brunch place’s menu. 

So How Did It Get The Name French Toast?

It is believed that around 1700 an Innkeeper in Albany, New York  by the name of Joseph French named this egg dipped and grilled toast after himself and forgot to put an apostrophe and therefore become French toast.  True or not, who knows. All I know it is one of my favourite breakfast.

Memories

I grew up thinking that French Toast was bread dunked in an egg mixture of green chillis, ginger, coriander and salt. Well that is what was prepared at home occasionally. Always wondered that if it has Indian spices why is it called French Toast. Then a trip to Montreal changed the whole concept of what French Toast actually is. It was at a brunch place in Montreal that I tasted the actual French Toast.

And after  googling, found out that the savoury version I grew up with is actually called Bombay Toast. Gosh, always learning new things after all these years.

Mega Blogging Marathon

I had shared French Toast recipe way back on 07/04/2018 as the theme for the above group was International Breakfast. Decided to update the post with better photos and share with Sunday Funday Group.

Updated this old post on 15/03/2026

 Sharing French Toast Recipe With The Group Sunday Funday

Camilla the host for this Sunday wrote “Maple Syrup Saturday is March 21st. Ahead of that, let’s share some recipes that use maple syrup in creative ways. Think salad dressings, glazes for roasts or desserts. Anything goes! I’ll even take your favorite pancake recipe”.  I decided to redo an old post French Toast. Here in Quebec, French Toast is always served with loads of  maple syrup.

More Recipes With Maple Syrup You May Like

• French Toast by Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Karawya with a Maple Syrup Drizzle by Culinary Cam
• Keto Baked Chicken Legs In Buffalo Sauceby Sneha’s Recipe
• Maple Bacon Candied Walnuts by Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Maple Bourbon Smash by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Maple Dijon Bacon Green Beans by Making Miracles
• Maple Mousse by A Messy Kitchen
• Maple Pecan Glaze for Scones by Sid’s Sea Palm Cooking
• Maple Thyme Hasselback Yams by Food Lust People Love

Ingredients Required For French Toast

Bread

Generally breads like brioche, challah is best. However you can use any bread of your choice. Normal thick sliced sandwich bread, croissant, baguette, sourdough, etc. The slices have to be thick anywhere between ½ inch to 1 inch. Thin slices become soggy very quickly. Best to use stale bread. If the bread slices are soft allow them to ‘dry’ at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Arrange the slices on a tray and leave them open to dry. Alternately, dry them in the toaster at the lowest setting. You don’t want to toast the bread, just to dry it a bit.

Eggs

Best to use large eggs. For me all the mixture gets used up.

Milk

Preferably whole milk.

Fresh Cream

Adding cream makes the egg mixture or custard more rich. You can replace the amount of milk and fresh cream with half and half. Half and half is a ready made mixture of milk and cream that is popularly used for coffee.

Sugar

Add any sugar of your choice, white, brown or even maple syrup or honey. I used white sugar. Add 1-2 tbsp, depending on how sweet you prefer the French Toast.

Cinnamon Powder

Adds flavour. I add about ½ tsp. Can replace it with other spice blends like pumpkin pie, apple pie, etc.

Vanilla Essence

Or vanilla extract for flavour. Can replace it lemon zest if you wish.

Salt

A pinch of salt brings out all the flavours. So don’t skip it. Add any salt of your choice.

Butter

I use salted butter. We need a generous amount of butter to cook the French Toast properly. 1 tbsp butter is generally sufficient to cook 2 slices of bread. But add more if required.

Oil

Optional ingredient. I add some so that the butter does not burn when melting.

Maple Syrup

The amount required will depend on individual taste. Best to serve it on the side so everyone helps themselves. Trust me French Toast tastes really good with good quality maple syrup. I prefer amber maple syrup. It has a more rich well rounded flavour making it ideal for drizzling. The dark maple syrup is preferred when we need it for cooking like in sauces.

Fresh Fruit

Add fresh fruit of your choice. My preference is berries, banana or cooked apple.