Best Crisp French Toast Recipes

APPLE CRISP FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

Steps:

• For the French toast and caramelized apples: Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
• Spread the bread cubes on a large baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 15 minutes. Let cool. Adjust the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the sugar, apple cider and lemon juice in a large, high-sided saute pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the Gala and Granny Smith apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add the apple brandy if using; cook a few minutes longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the apples to a bowl (you don't want the apples to be too wet) and let cool. Reserve the apple cooking liquid for serving.
• For the streusel: Mix together the butter, salt and sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Add the flour, oats and cinnamon and mix until well combined. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Squeeze the mixture in your hands to form larger and smaller clumps.
• For the casserole: Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with some softened butter. Whisk the eggs, yolks, vanilla and cinnamon in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, then fold in the cooled apples. Add the bread and stir to coat, pressing down to make sure bread is totally submerged. Let sit for 10 minutes.
• Transfer the apple-bread mixture to the buttered baking dish, pressing down to make sure the top is an even layer. Scatter the streusel evenly over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until puffed and lightly golden brown, another 30 minutes or so. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
• Reheat the reserved apple cooking liquid. (If very thin, simmer briefly over medium heat until reduced to a syrup; if there isn't much, add some apple cider and simmer briefly.) Turn the heat to low and whisk in the cold butter, piece by piece, until emulsified. Serve with the French toast.

CRISP FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Prehead oven to 425 degrees F & spray a 15"x10" glass baking dish inside with cooking spray.
• In a shallow dish, combine the egg substitute, milk, OJ, vanilla & nutmeg, mixing well.
• Add bread & soak for 5 minutes, turning once.
• Coat both sides of each slice with cornflake crumbs, then place slices in the prepared baking dish.
• Bake for 10 minutes, then turn & bake another 5-8 minutes longer or until golden brown.

FRENCH TOAST - EXTRA CRISP - COOK'S ILLUSTRATED RECIPE

Steps:

• EXTRA-CRISP FRENCH TOAST Serves 4. Published January 1, 2009. From Cook's Illustrated. For best results, choose a good challah or a firm, high-quality sandwich bread, such as Arnold Country Classics White or Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White. Thomas' English Muffin Toasting Bread also works well. If you purchase an unsliced loaf, cut the bread into 1/2-inch-thick slices. To prevent the butter from clumping during mixing, warm the milk in a microwave or small saucepan until warm to the touch (about 80 degrees). The French toast can be cooked all at once on an electric griddle, but may take an extra 2 to 3 minutes per side. Set the griddle temperature to 350 degrees and use the entire amount of butter for cooking. INSTRUCTIONS 1. Tear one piece of bread or challah into 1-inch pieces and process with 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon in food processor until finely ground, 8 to 12 one-second pulses (you should have about 1/2 cup crumbs). 2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Place remaining 8 pieces of bread on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Bake bread until almost dry throughout (center should remain slightly moist), about 16 minutes, flipping slices halfway through cooking. Remove bread from rack and let cool 5 minutes. Return baking sheet with wire rack to oven and reduce temperature to 200 degrees. 3. Whisk milk, yolks, remaining sugar and cinnamon, 2 tablespoons melted butter, salt, and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Transfer mixture to 13- by 9-inch baking pan. 4. Soak toasted bread in milk mixture until saturated but not falling apart, 20 seconds per side. Using firm slotted spatula, pick up bread slice and allow excess milk mixture to drip off; repeat with remaining slices. Place soaked bread on another baking sheet or platter. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon bread crumb mixture over one side of each slice of soaked bread. 5. Heat ½ tablespoon butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. When foaming subsides, use slotted spatula to transfer 2 slices soaked bread, crumb-mixture side down first, to skillet and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until second side is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes longer. (If toast is cooking too quickly, reduce temperature slightly.) Transfer to baking sheet in oven. Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Repeat cooking with remaining bread, 2 pieces at a time, adding ½ tablespoon of butter for each batch. Serve warm, passing maple syrup separately. Keys to Perfect French Toast 1. START WITH DRY BREAD Drying bread in 300-degree oven before soaking and frying leads to toast that's soft, not soggy. 2. HOLD THE WHITES Using yolks, not whites, in soaking liquid cuts down on eggy flavor. 3. SOAK PROPERLY Soaking bread in flat baking pan for just 20 seconds per side ensures even saturation and no sogginess.