Buttermilk French Toast: 2000s Recipes + Menus : gourmet.com

2000s Recipes + Menus

Serves4

Active time:20 min
Start to finish:40 min

November 2008

Before food editor and stylist Paul Grimes came up with this recipe, we admit that we had never thought of making French toast with buttermilk. But when he whipped up a batch using the leftover buttermilk from the Skillet Corn Bread, we were shocked by how delicious it was. It turns out that the buttermilk permeates the challah with a subtle tang that partners beautifully with dusky maple syrup. Consider us converted.

1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
4 large eggs
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices challah (from a 1-lb loaf; not end slices)
4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

Accompaniment:

warm maple syrup

Preheat oven to 200°F.
Whisk together buttermilk, eggs, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Pour into a large 4-sided sheet pan, then add bread in 1 layer and soak, turning occasionally, until bread has absorbed all liquid but is not falling apart, about 20 minutes.
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides. Transfer 4 bread slices with a slotted spatula to skillet and cook, turning once, until slightly puffed and golden brown, about 3 minutes total. Transfer to a large shallow baking pan and keep warm in oven. Cook remaining bread in 2 batches, adding 1 1/2 tablespoon butter between batches.

Recipe by Paul Grimes

Photograph by Romulo Yanes