Bread and toast have long been a part of our breakfast rotation in many forms. There is just something so comforting and familiar about bread that it's easy to reach for it on autopilot every morning. From simple butter or chutney sandwiches to sooji toast, cheeni toast and French toast, the possibilities are endless. Today, we want to talk to you about French toast which is a widely loved international breakfast favourite. Bread slices dipped in an egg-milk custard and pan-fried in butter. What's not to love, right? Traditionally made with a little sugar and served up with fruit and honey or maple syrup, we've got a desi, masaledaar (read: zesty) twist for you. But before we get into the recipe, let's tell you all you need to know about French toast.
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What Is French Toast Made Of?
French toast is a dish made of sliced bread, dipped in an egg-and-milk custard and pan-fried in butter or oil. Typically, a little sugar is added to the custard mix and once it's fried, it is served with a topping of honey, maple syrup, fresh fruit or simply powdered sugar.
Should French Toast Be Made With Fresh Bread?
Ideally, French toast should be made with day-old or slightly dry bread because then it is able to better soak in the custard and develop the best texture. If you only have very fresh bread on hand, then you can slightly toast or dry it out in the oven for 10 minutes at 150 degrees C.
Should French Toast Be Soft Or Crisp?
The perfect French Toast is crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside. It should be neither soggy nor dry. This can be achieved by using slightly thicker slices of bread and allowing them to soak for a few minutes until the custard has seeped through but not for so long that the bread falls apart. Here is where using the day-old or slightly drier bread also comes into handy.
How Can I Avoid My French Toast From Being Soggy?
The main culprit for soggy French toast is using too thin, fresh or flimsy slices of bread. Other reasons could be too much milk in the custard or cooking the French toast at too high heat which sears the outside but doesn't cook the custard through in the centre.
Also Read: Easy Breakfast Recipes: 5 French Toast Recipes To Give A Delicious Start To Your Day
Butter Or Oil: What Should French Toast Be Pan-Fried In?
We vote for butter for added flavour and that beautiful golden-brown colour, but you can also use shortening, ghee or vegetable oil.
Now let's come back to our masala French toast recipe. We have a special variation for you which uses the humble sliced bread, salt and spices in the custard mix, and is topped with a fresh kachumbar topping (a mix of chopped onion, tomato, chilli, and coriander) or salsa.
Masala French Toast Recipe: How to make desi style Masala French Toast
First, make the fresh masala topping by chopping onions, tomatoes, green chillies and coriander finely. Set this aside.
Then whisk the eggs, milk, salt & spices together to make a custard. Now place a non-stick skillet on medium-high heat. Preheat the pan and melt some butter in it.
Dip the sliced bread in the custard, careful not to break them. Pan-fry the slices in the skillet on medium heat for about 1-1.5 minutes on each side.
Place them on a wire rack while you cook up the full batch to prevent them from getting soggy.
Serve them up with the masala topping and a generous sprinkle of chaat masala. Don't shy away from adding more chaat masala.
For the step-by-step recipe for masala French toast, click here.
If you like this recipe, check out some more desi toast recipes by clicking here.