This, no-fail, easy french toast recipe is perfect for a decadent weekend brunch but is simple enough to put together in under 20 minutes with very little skill.
I love this recipe because it is high in protein and does not use sugar. As well, the measurements do not need to be precise for the end result to be tasty, making it one of my favorite recipes to cook with my kids. Kids tend to spill on the counter when mixing and that is ok here. It is nearly impossible to mess up this recipe!
I love to make homemade Baguettes (click here for my easy recipe for beginners) so I often have day old Baguettes which are perfect for French Toast. If you don’t have a Baguette available any crusty, preferably day-old, bread will do.
Why is stale bread better than fresh bread for French Toast?
Stale bread holds its shape better when it is put into the egg mixture. Using thick cut stale bread results in a tender and tasty French Toast.
What is the best bread for French Toast?
I personally love to use day old Baguette because it has a deliciously chewy texture. You can also use day old Brioche for a softer, fluffier texture - it depends on your preference!
What is Pain Perdu?
Pain Perdu is the French term for French Toast. Pain perdu translates to "lost bread" as soaking stale (or "lost" bread) in french toast batter is a great way to revive a loaf that was too hard to be enjoyed. The French are incredibly economical when it comes to food and hate to throw out bread...hence, French Toast!
Kid-friendly recipe
My kids love to spend time in the kitchen with me and we couldn’t be happier. They are Chef's kids after all! Little by little we have developed a repertoire of simple recipes that are fun for them to cook and to eat.
One of our absolute favorites is French Toast. Perfect for a decadent weekend brunch but also fun for a Tuesday evening breakfast for dinner. As mentioned, the measurements do not need to be precise for the end result to be tasty. Kids tend to spill on the counter when mixing and that is ok here. It is nearly impossible to mess up this recipe!
Le Chef’s Wife French Toast Recipe
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 4 whole eggs
- ½ cup of 2% milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (if happen to have fresh vanilla bean, use half a pod in this recipe)
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 20 slices of baguette, sliced ½ inch thick or 8-12 slices of country bread.
Instructions
Beat the eggs together in a large bowl with a whisk. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Mix again (toddlers love mixing!). Set aside.
Four slices at a time (if you are using baguette slices), allow to soak in the batter. Flip after a minute to allow bread to fully soak up the mixture.
Heat a non-stick pan on medium. Add a pat of butter to fully coat pan.
Add battered slices of bread several at a time. Allow to become golden brown (about a minute) then flip and brown on the reverse side.
Remove cooked slices of bread from pan and set aside on a cookie sheet. (I suggest placing the cookie sheet in the oven on the lowest possible heat to keep warm).
Continue this process until all the bread and batter are used up, adding a fresh pat of butter in the pan between each batch of battered bread. Careful to never let the pan get too hot – you don’t want the butter to burn.
Serve immediately with your choice of toppings. Butter and maple syrup are a classic, but I prefer to make my 5 minute, sugar free, fruit compote to serve on top to make a complete toddler-friendly meal. Chantilly cream is a beautiful, decadent addition as well.
Voilà! Delicious, wholesome, French toast is as easy as that!
Other French Brunch Recipes you will love:
Quick Easy French Baguettes (Baking Baguettes for Beginners)
La Salade Lyonnaise - the best brunch salad ever
If you made this recipe, let me know what you think with a comment and star rating, I love to hear from you!
Bon Appetit,
Le Chef’s Wife
ABOUT LE CHEF'S WIFE
Bonjour! I am Anina Belle. I translate the fancy cooking of my Michelin-star trained French Chef Husband, Le Chef, into easy to make dishes that busy people with no culinary training (like me!) can make at home. We have two young kids (6 and 3) and I work full time in addition to this blog. I strongly believe that even busy people deserve to eat well at home.
Look inside our Kitchen with this recent Washington Post Article. We were featured on the TODAY SHOW for our recipes of French Onion Soup Gratinée and Moelleux au Chocolat. You can watch our full segment here:
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Print
Simple French Toast Recipe
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 20
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: breakfast, French Toast
Description
This, no-fail, easy french toast recipe is perfect for a decadent weekend brunch but is easy enough to put together in under 20 minutes with very little skill.
I love this recipe because it is high in protein and does not use sugar. As well, the measurements do not need to be precise for the end result to be tasty. Kids tend to spill on the counter when mixing and that is ok here. It is nearly impossible to mess up this recipe!
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup of 2% milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (if happen to have fresh vanilla bean, use half a pod in this recipe)
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 20 slices of baguette, sliced ½ inch thick or 8-12 slices of country bread.
Instructions
Le Chef’s Wife French Toast Recipe
Serves 4
Beat the eggs together in a large bowl with a whisk. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Mix again (toddlers love mixing!). Set aside.
Four slices at a time (if you are using baguette slices), allow to soak in the batter. Flip after a minute to allow bread to fully soak up the mixture.
Heat a non-stick pan on medium low. Add a pat of butter to fully coat pan.
Add battered slices of bread several at a time. Allow to become golden brown (about a minute) then flip and brown on the reverse side.
Remove cooked slices of bread from pan and set aside on a cookie sheet. (I suggest placing the cookie sheet in the oven on the lowest possible heat to keep warm).
Continue this process until all the bread and batter are used up, adding a fresh pat of butter in the pan between each batch of battered bread. Careful to never let the pan get too hot – you don’t want the butter to burn.
Serve immediately with your choice of toppings. Butter and maple syrup are a classic, but I prefer to make my 5 minute, sugar free, fruit compote or Chantilly Cream to serve on top to make a complete toddler-friendly meal.
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