# Crispy Cinnamon French Toast

> French toast turns out soggy for two reasons: **fresh bread**, which soaks up too much custard, and **high heat**, which browns the outside before the inside sets. Use **two-day-old bread**, dip for **15 seconds a side**, and keep the pan at medium.

**French Cuisine · 22 min · 4 servings · 280 kcal per serving**

French toast is a ten-minute breakfast, and the classic complaint about it is that it comes out burnt outside and wet inside. The fix is in the bread and the pan temperature, not the custard.

## Ingredients

- 8 slices — day-old sandwich bread
- 3 pieces — eggs
- 0.75 cup — milk
- 2 tbsp — sugar
- 1 tsp — cinnamon
- 1 tsp — vanilla
- 1 pinch — salt
- 3 tbsp — butter
- honey or syrup to serve

## Method

1. **Day-old bread** — Use bread that is **one or two days old**. Fresh bread is full of moisture, soaks up too much custard and falls apart — if you only have fresh, dry it in the oven for 5 minutes.
2. **The custard** — Whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt **until completely uniform**. Any unbeaten white leaves pale streaks on the surface.
3. **Strain it** — Pass the custard through a sieve to catch any lumps of egg. This is what gives you an even, smooth-coloured surface.
4. **A short dip** — Dip each slice for **15 seconds a side only**, and let it drip before it hits the pan. A long soak saturates the bread so it breaks up and stays wet.
5. **Medium heat** — Melt butter in a pan over **medium heat** and cook **3 minutes a side**. High heat browns the outside while the inside is still raw — the most common mistake.
6. **Serve** — Serve immediately with honey or syrup and fruit. French toast softens as it sits — if you are making a batch, hold it in a 90°C oven.

## Tips

- Two-day-old bread — fresh bread soaks up too much and collapses in the pan.
- Fifteen seconds a side and no more; this is a dip, not a soak.
- Medium heat, never high — the custard inside needs time to set.
- Butter rather than oil: it delivers the flavour and the golden colour.

## FAQ

### Why is my french toast soggy?
The bread was fresh or you soaked it too long. Use two-day-old bread, dip 15 seconds a side, and keep the heat at medium so the inside has time to set.

### Why does it burn outside?
The heat is too high. Set it to medium and give it a patient 3 minutes a side — the egg inside needs that time, and high heat browns the surface long before it.

### Can I make it the night before?
You can mix the custard and keep it covered in the fridge overnight, but the frying has to happen right before serving. Cooked french toast softens within 15 minutes.

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Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/french-cuisine/crispy-cinnamon-french-toast
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-09-13