Bread Machine (19 page)

When the baking cycle ends, immediately remove the bread from the pan and place it on a rack. Let cool to room temperature before to room temperature before slicing.

Leftover Bread Cookery: The Art of French Toast

I think anything as rudimentary as soaking stale bread in milk and eggs, then pan-sautéing it to reconstitute texture, has universal appeal. It produces such a comforting breakfast food, but does so through such a simple technique that it can easily be taken for granted. Well, it shouldn’t be.

French toast,
pain perdu
, or “lost bread,” is not an exclusively French invention, as early Romans soaked dry bread in wine, eggs, and honey. Later, the Normans brought it from France to England, where it was dubbed the Poor Knights of Windsor, a name that has stuck until the present. A favorite dish of princes, old English recipes for
payn pur-dew
refer to bread soaked in an elixir of spiced sherry, eggs, spices, and cream. In Germany it is called Drunken Maidens or
Arme Ritter
(Poor Knights), with regional variations sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar or touting poppy seeds. The Swedes serve it sandwiched with ham and cheese for dinner and the Mexicans know it as a
fritada
. For the Jewish holiday of Purim it is served as “Queen Esther’s Toast.”

While sweet baguettes, sourdough, and challah egg bread are my favorites for French toast, cinnamon bread, any whole wheat, seed, white sandwich, croissant, or holiday sweet bread can be used. Day-old and stale are key words here; fresh bread will just end up soggy. Cream, half-and-half, whole milk, nonfat milk, commercial eggnog, or soy milk all work equally well as the soaking liquid. Use fresh eggs or a commercial liquid egg substitute equivalent. If cholesterol is a consideration, use all egg whites in the soaking mixture and light olive oil for frying. For the adult palate, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of your favorite liqueur, such as Grand Marnier, amaretto, or rum, to jazz up the batter.

Butter and maple syrup are certainly the traditional toppings, but I also like a fruit syrup such as blueberry or raspberry (try Knudsen’s sugar-free pourable fruit or one from Knott’s Berry Farms), sautéed or fresh fruit, powdered sugar and fresh lemon wedges, or even hot applesauce and vanilla yogurt.

Good Morning French Toast

Serves 2

This is a basic recipe for French toast. Day-old bread is best since it won’t disintegrate after soaking.

3 large eggs

³
/
₄
cup milk

¹
/
₂
teaspoon vanilla extract

Four 1-inch-thick slices day-old bread

1 to 2 tablespoons butter, as needed

Using a whisk or immersion blender, beat the eggs, milk, and vanilla together in a bowl. Pour into a shallow bowl. Add the bread and soak both sides until all of the milk mixture is absorbed.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, arrange the slices without crowding, and sauté until deep golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Top with Warmed Winter Fruit (see below) or plain maple syrup.

Warmed Winter Fruit

Makes about 3 cups

6 dried apricot halves

1 tablespoon dried cherries

1 tablespoon golden raisins

2 tablespoons butter

1 small apple, peeled, cored, and sliced

1 small pear, peeled, cored, and sliced Pinch of ground cinnamon

1 banana, sliced

¹
/
₂
cup canned pitted sweet cherries, drained

¹
/
₃
cup maple syrup

Cover the apricots, cherries, and raisins with hot water. Let soak for 10 minutes.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Sauté the apples and pears until soft. Drain the soaked fruit and add to the skillet with the cinnamon. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the banana, canned cherries, and syrup, and heat for 2 minutes. Serve immediately spooned over the French toast.

Banana-Stuffed French Toast

Serves 3

Six 2-inch-thick slices day-old bread

3 small bananas, each cut into 12 diagonal slices

8 large eggs

¹
/
₂
cup milk

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Insert a small sharp knife into the side of the crust and carefully cut a small horizontal pocket directly into the middle of each slice of bread, leaving a 1-inch border on 3 sides. Stuff each pocket with 6 slices of banana.

Using a whisk or immersion blender, beat the eggs, milk, syrup, and nutmeg in a bowl until foamy. Pour into a shallow bowl. Add the bread and soak both sides. Melt 1 to 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat, arrange the slices without crowding, and sauté until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Turn them once. Transfer slices to the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Serve immediately.