French Toast

Ingredients

• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 5 slices Bread
• Maple Syrup
• Butter

Method

Whisk the eggs and milk together until fully combined — this is your egg-cookery medium, and the emulsion matters. The egg protein denatures during cooking and sets the structure; the milk dilutes the yolks so the coating spreads evenly without scrambling on contact with heat. Set a large frying pan over medium heat and add a knob of butter. Let it foam and subside; you're aiming for a pan hot enough that a drop of batter sizzles immediately on contact, roughly 160–170°C if you're checking with a thermometer, though the audible hiss is your real guide.

Working one slice at a time, submerge both sides of the bread in the egg mixture — no more than two seconds per side. You want saturation without sogginess; a second too long and the bread begins to collapse rather than absorb. The bread acts as a sponge, so medium-thick slices (about 2cm) hold their structure better than thin ones. Shake off excess batter back into the bowl; a thin, clinging coat is what you want, not dripping liquid.

Place the bread directly into the foaming butter. The pan-frying happens fast — roughly 2–3 minutes per side, but watch for colour, not the clock. The first side is done when it's deep golden-brown with a crisp edge, the sort of colour you'd get from proper caramelisation of the egg proteins. Flip once, only once. The second side cooks slightly faster because the pan is already at temperature. When it matches the first side, transfer to a warm plate immediately.

Repeat with remaining slices, adding a fresh knob of butter to the pan every two or three slices — burnt butter fragments accumulate and spoil the flavour, so don't be stingy with fresh fat. Stack the finished slices warm, pour maple syrup over them just before serving, and eat at once. The exterior hardens as it cools, so delay kills the contrast between the crisp outside and the custard-soaked interior that makes this simple-preparation breakfast work.