When freshly fallen snow forms a blanket on the ground, there is nothing better than a warm, hearty breakfast.
Breakfast in bed doesn’t have to be fancy! Hey, it doesn’t even need to happen in the morning. Why not turn things upside down and have breakfast for dinner? It’s a joy just to be treated to good old comfort food like scrambled eggs and toast, a big bowl of crunchy granola or our favourite, French toast. The combinations are endless, from buttery challah with Nutella and bananas, Texas toast with cinnamon and maple syrup or sourdough with crème fraîche, honey and fruit compote. Here’s a quick guide to the ultimate French toast for dinner.
THE BREAD
As the vehicle for the whole dish, choosing suitable bread is the key to achieving the perfect French toast. Choose thick cut bread, or cut slices yourself, so that it retains the milk and egg mix but does not get soggy. Rich and buttery brioche or challah is great for sweet toppings, while more robust artisanal bread, like sourdough is ideal for savoury accompaniments like poached egg and asparagus.
TOPPINGS AND ACCOMPANIMENTS
Of course traditional fresh fruit or maple syrup is always a hit, but why not think outside the box. Mix things up and try savoury components like sharp cheddar and a drizzle of truffle honey, or bacon and onion jam. The key is to combine sweet and savoury elements to balance out the richness of the entire dish.
DRIZZLE
Now for the fun part! Maple or agave syrup is a staple with French toast, and works well with both sweet and savoury toppings. For something a little different try our new favourite combination — a dollop of fresh ricotta with lemon zest and lemon sugar syrup (equal parts powdered sugar and lemon juice).
THE RECIPE
Use day old bread so that your custard mix (eggs, sugar, milk) can soak into the bread. Combine 2 eggs, ½ cup milk, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp. sugar, a dash of cinnamon and pinch of salt and whisk until creamy. Soak the bread on both sides in this mixture, before toasting in a pre-heated pan until golden brown.
This original recipe article first appeared in the Winter 2018/19 issue of City Style and Living Magazine.
Don’t Forget to Follow City Style and Living on Social Channels: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest
