Another breakfast offering from Fred Harvey -- and the title of my upcoming second novel in the Couriers series. As with the others, this is not a "healthy" dish. Avoid the temptation to use skim milk and whole grain bread, but you can serve it with just applesauce if you want to make a nod in the direction of healthful eating.
Although the ingredients in this recipe will be familiar, the technique elevates it above our usual weekend-morning French toast. Again, I have made several modifications. There is no way that I am going to deep-fry anything these days, let alone French toast. And it isn't necessary. Also, I used milk rather than cream -- whole milk, so it wasn't entirely lacking in richness, but we're rather "creamed out" at the moment after this past week.
Be sure to use thick-cut bread, 3/4 of an inch thick. Yes, I stood in Trader Joe's with my little measuring tape measuring the width of bread slices 😂 None was thick enough, but, serendipitously, Costco was giving out samples of their la Brioche sliced bread. Not only are the slices 3/4 of an inch thick, it is an eggy sweet bread ideal for French toast. I suspect that King's Hawaiian would work equally well. Or, of course, you could bake and slice your own.
Modern store bought loaves tend to be smaller than the bakery loaves of an earlier generation, so I used twice as many slices and merely cut them in half on the diagonal. Even at that, I found that I had enough egg batter to do two more slices. If you're making your own or have access to a bakery, start with just two slices and do more as you have batter.
In order for the bread to puff up in the oven, it must be saturated with the batter (and probably needs the cream). Our modern supermarket bread falls apart when soaked to that degree. You'll need bakery or homemade bread for that. I do pop in it the over, nonetheless, so that it can be served piping hot.
Original recipe:
Place one-half cup cooking oil in skillet, heat to hot. Meanwhile, cut two slices white bread three-quarters of an inch thick diagonally to form four triangles, and set aside. In a small bowl, combine two eggs, one-half cup light cream, and salt. Beat well. Soak bread thoroughly in egg/cream mixture. Fry soaked bread in one-half cup hot cooking oil to a golden brown on both sides, about two minutes per side. Lift from skillet to clean paper towel and allow to absorb excess cooking oil. Transfer to baking sheet and place in oven. Bake four to six minutes, until bread slices have puffed up. Serve sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon and apple sauce, currant jelly, maple syrup, honey or preserves. (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/56650/appetite-for-america-by-stephen-fried/?fbclid=IwAR1QKi0poC7QYWnNM2o9nOoiBtl8R_j_jgu503qsWs9WSI84KdMrxf8xUhk)
For modern cooks:
Makes 4-6 slices
4-6 slices of thick cut (3/4") white bread, cut in half on the diagonal
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk or cream
1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Pinch of salt
Oil for frying
Powdered sugar and cinnamon for serving
Applesauce, jelly, maple syrup, honey or preserves, served at the table
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
Heat about a tablespoon of oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pan) in a large skillet.
In a shallow bowl, beat together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until frothy. Soak each triangle of bread thoroughly in mixture. Let excess drain into bowl, then fry in skillet until brown golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Cook as many at a time as will fit without crowding. Add oil to pan as necessary to keep toast from sticking.
Lift from skillet and place on prepared baking sheet. When all pieces are cooked, place sheet in oven. Bake 4-6 minutes or until bread slices have puffed up.
Place on a platter or individual plates. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Serve with diners' choice of applesauce, jelly, maple syrup, honey or preserves.
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