Name: Sunday Brunch French Toast
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 8 slices hearty white sandwich bread; 6 large eggs; 3/4 cup half-and-half; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 cup vegetable oil; 6 tablespoons light brown sugar; 1 tablespoon maple syrup; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Why This Recipe Works

Cooking French toast two pieces at a time is no way to feed a table full of hungry diners. We wanted a French toast recipe that allowed us to cook eight slices at once. Without a skillet big enough to hold eight slices of bread, we turned to the oven. Drying the bread in the oven before the soak gave it enough structure to withstand a long, deep bath in the custard without falling apart. To prevent a French toast recipe with a soggy texture, we soaked the bread for 30 seconds on each side and then let the slices rest briefly on an elevated rack, allowing any excess surface custard to drain away. Placing the soaked bread slices on a sizzling, preheated pan ensured our Sunday Brunch French Toast came out of the oven crisp and golden.

Before You Begin

Be sure to use a firm-textured bread such as Arnold Country Classic White or Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White here.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Bake bread on rimmed baking sheet until dry, about 8 minutes per side. Let bread cool 5 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 475 degrees.

Whisk eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt in 13 by 9-inch pan. Soak 4 slices bread in egg mixture until just saturated, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer to wire rack and repeat with remaining bread.

Pour oil onto rimmed baking sheet, turning sheet to coat. Transfer to oven and heat until just smoking, about 4 minutes. Using fork, stir brown sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon in small bowl until mixture resembles wet sand.

Arrange soaked bread on hot baking sheet and bake until golden brown on first side, about 10 minutes. Flip bread and sprinkle evenly with sugar mixture. Cook until sugar is deep brown and bubbling, about 6 minutes. Cool toast on wire rack for 2 minutes. Serve.