I’m not sure why French toast brings back such wonderful memories of breakfast on Sundays. Maybe it’s the way the butter-grilled food smells throughout the entire house. Perhaps it’s the straightforward ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your pantry and refrigerator.
One of those foods to turn to when nothing else occurs to you is French toast. It is simple to prepare, contains carbohydrates, protein, fat, and always includes something sweet. It is comforting and satisfying. The best weekend breakfast is just classic French toast with a side of cooked bacon and some orange slices.
I’m not referring to the frozen slices in boxes that you reheat in your toaster oven. I’m referring to bread slices that have been grilled or fried in butter or oil after being dipped in an egg, milk, or cream bath. French toast cooks beautifully on the George Foreman contact grill. That fast! Simply keep getting slices all morning long.
Getting Creative with French Toast
Here, we’ll take on the traditional French toast recipe. You can end there and be satisfied in its entirety. Consider attempting some of the other recipes if you have the inclination. Or create a new version.
Only one slice of bread is used per serving of traditional French toast. French toast with fillings is more akin to a sweet breakfast sandwich. Bread can be stuffed with cream cheese, fruit, jam, nut butter, or chocolate. The Elvis peanut butter and banana sandwich serves as the basis for the second dish below, which has been modified.
The third recipe combines a Monte Cristo sandwich with French toast to create a savoury and sweet dish. The American version of the French Croque Monsieur is thought to be the Monte Cristo. In essence, a grilled ham and cheese sandwich known as a croque monsieur is offered as an afternoon snack in cafes.
A ham and cheese sandwich is sometimes known as a Monte Cristo. Before being grilled, the sandwich is, however, covered with a French toast batter. To add sweetness to the dish, a dipping jam is also provided. With salty, fatty, and sweet ingredients, it definitely hits a lot of umami notes. All of your taste buds will be awakened by the addition of pickles to the sandwich. It has a crisp surface and a creamy interior.
Let’s Talk About the Bread
There isn’t a bread kind that can’t be made into French toast, in my opinion. White bread is a typically popular option. Personally, I enjoy both gluten-free and full grain bread. Sourdough bread, challah, or brioche are often called for in recipes. It should be freshly prepared and thinly sliced.
Classic Grilled French Toast
Ingredients:
- 6 whole eggs
- 1-1/2 cups half and half or whole milk
- 1 TBS fine sugar
- 2 tsps pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
- 6 thick slices of white sandwich or challah bread
- 4 TBS butter, softened
- 4 TBS canola oil
- Pure maple syrup or powdered sugar
Total time:13 min – Prep time:10 min – Cook time:3 min – Serves:4 people
Author: Diana
Directions:
- Whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a big shallow basin. As you turn the bread slices over, the mixture will soak the bread completely. Place aside while getting your grill ready.
2. With the top closed, preheat your Foreman Grill to high. Butter and oil should be whisked together in a small bowl while the grill is heating up.
3. Brush the butter and oil mixture liberally over the grill’s two plates. Place as many bread slices on the grill as will fit, then cover it. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown and slightly crispy. Repetition is necessary to grill all the bread.
4. Serve the toast with a side of grilled bacon and maple syrup or powdered sugar.
French toast stuffed with banana, Nutella, and peanut butter.
Ingredients:
- 8 slices of sourdough bread
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter or sunflower seed butter
- 1/2 cup Nutella or other hazelnut & chocolate spread
- 2 bananas, thinly sliced
- 4 whole eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk or almond milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 TBS butter, softened
- Powdered sugar for serving
- Total time: 18 min – Prep time: 15 min – Cook time: 3 min – Serves: 4 people
- Directions:
- 1. 4 of the bread slices have nut butter spread on them. The remaining 4 slices are covered in Nutella. Put slices of banana atop the nut butter. The Nutella-faced bread should then be placed on top of the bananas.
- 2. Whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Sandwiches should be coated after being placed in the mixture. Swab the other side of the sandwiches after flipping them. Place aside.
- 3. Preheat your Foreman Grill to high with the top closed.
4. Brush the butter liberally across both grill surfaces. As many sandwiches as will fit should be placed on the grill before the lid is closed. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown and slightly crispy. Continue until every sandwich has been cooked.
5. Dust with powdered sugar. Slice on a diagonal and serve with napkins.
Monte Cristo Sandwich
Ingredients:
- 4 slices white or whole wheat bread
- 2 TBS good mayonnaise
- 4 slices Emmentaler cheese
- 4 slices black forest or honey roasted deli ham
- 3 whole eggs
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 TBS canola or grapeseed oil
- 1 TBS unsalted butter
- Blackberry jam for serving
Total time: 11 min – Prep time: 8 min – Cook time: 3 min – Serves: 2 people
Directions:
1. All 4 of the bread slices should have the mayonnaise spread on one side. Two pieces of bread should have cheese on them. Each sandwich should have 2 pieces of ham. Reapply the remaining cheese on top. Top the sandwich with the other slice of bread that has been spread with mayonnaise.
2. The eggs and should be whisked together in a small bowl. Sandwiches should be coated after being placed in the mixture. Swab the other side of the sandwiches after flipping them. Place sandwich aside.
3. Preheat your Foreman Grill to high with the top closed.
4. Brush the butter and oil mixture liberally over the grill’s two plates. Close the grill’s top after placing the sandwiches on it. Approximately 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown and somewhat crispy, on the grill
5. Slice the sandwiches in half. Serve with a good dollop of jam to dip the sandwiches into.
There are various sandwich varieties. Ham can be substituted with slices of turkey breast. To make the sandwich a little bit simpler to eat, some cooks choose to swap out the Emmentaler cheese with Gouda. Swiss Emmentaler cheese is a firm cheese. Blackberry jam is not required. Use any type of jam you like, or simply offer fresh fruit on the side like orange wedges or strawberry slices.