Santa Fe French Toast Recipes

Steps:

• 1. The night before, whip together the cream, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and salt until frothy.
• 2. If the bread is not pre-sliced, then slice the bread into 3/4-inch slices. Then cut each bread slice diagonally from bottom corner to opposite top corner, to make triangle-shaped pieces.
• 3. Soak bread in the cream mixture overnight. (If the bread is really soft, reduce the soaking time to 2 hours.) If slices float to the top, push them down with another slice of bread, until all slices are completely covered by the cream mixture. Cover bowl and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
• 4. When ready to cook, lightly brown both sides of each bread slice in a skillet. Then place the browned slices on a lightly buttered baking sheet.
• 5. Bake in a 350° oven for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle the tops with ground cinnamon and a light dusting of powdered sugar. Serve immediately with maple syrup, fresh fruit, or your favorite fruit preserves.
• 6. TIP - the original recipe calls for pain perdu, or "lost bread" in French which suggests making use of last night's leftover bread. Day-old, thick-sliced bread works best and holds up to soaking much better than thinly-sliced fresh, soft breads.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Cut off and discard crusts from bread, then diagonally halve slices. Arrange in 1 layer in a baking pan.
• Whisk together cream, eggs, and salt, then pour over bread. Soak bread, turning once, until most of liquid is absorbed but bread is not falling apart, about 2 minutes.
• Carefully transfer soaked bread with a slotted spatula to a tray.
• Heat 1/2 inch oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until thermometer registers 325°F.
• Fry bread, 3 pieces at a time, turning over once, until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes. (Return oil to 325°F between batches.) Transfer toast to paper towels to drain briefly, then arrange in 1 layer on a baking sheet.
• Once all bread is fried, bake toast in middle of oven until puffed, about 4 minutes. Serve dusted with confectioners sugar.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200 degrees, and place a wire rack on a sheet pan inside.
• In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs, additional yolks, milk, vanilla (if using) and salt until foamy and smooth. Set aside. Place a small lump of butter (enough to coat the bottom of the skillet when melted) in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over low heat. It will melt very slowly.
• When butter is just melted and bubbling, raise heat and bring to a sizzle. Place 2 slices of bread in the bowl with the egg mixture. Turn them a few times in the mixture until evenly saturated, about 5 seconds on each side. Do not soak.
• Lift a slice out of the egg mixture, gently shake off any excess, and place in the pan. Repeat until the skillet is full, and let the slices cook at a sizzle for about 2 minutes, until just turning golden brown on the bottom.
• Add another small lump of butter to the pan and flip the slices over, swirling the pan so that the fresh butter coats the bottom. (This will allow the second side to brown.)
• Continue cooking over low heat until the second side is golden brown. Dust with cinnamon sugar, flip again, and dust the other side. Test for doneness by pressing the center: The dent should slowly spring back. If it remains, the interior is not yet cooked. Continue cooking at low heat, flipping occasionally, until done. Serve immediately, or transfer to the oven to keep warm while cooking remaining bread. Serve as soon as possible. Top with maple syrup, berries, jam, sliced bananas, orange supremes - whatever you'd like.