As the title suggests, today, we’ll be making IHOP’s infamous French toast. We’ve all wondered why it is that, no matter what you do, you can never recreate the same taste at home. Well, the secret to replicating the restaurant-style French toast is flour.
Well, yes and no. The flour does play a role in making the toast light and fluffy, but much of the credit goes to the kind of bread you use.
This does not change the fact that French toast is an extremely versatile option, yet the foundation remains the same. What this means is that the end product can be syrupy, gooey, and savory, or it can be light, fluffy, and buttery, anything you like. You can always add your personal twist to this classic IHOP French toast.
How to Make IHOP French Toast
The best part is that anybody can make this recipe. Essentially, French toast is nothing more than bread covered in egg and milk. That is the foundation of the French toast, but the star is really what you toss on top of it, be it cinnamon or sprinkles or sliced fruit for that matter.
Be sure to read through to the end because we have a few ideas on what can be done, and we’d like to share them with you.
Ingredients:
We know that you’re getting tired of waiting. We’ll get right to it. The significant part is most of these will already be present in an average household, so there is no need to make a last-minute run to the grocery store.
- Eggs
- Milk (preferably full fat)
- Vanilla extract
- Flour
- Salt (don’t be wary, it’s just a pinch)
- Bread (We’ll discuss this in detail)
- Butter
- Oil
- Syrup (Will also be discussed)
The Process:
Now that we’ve jotted down the requirements, let’s get to the steps:
Step 1: Pick out a large bowl and add eggs to this bowl. Beat this egg until foamy.
Step 2: Add salt, flour, milk, vanilla to the bowl.
Step 3: Stir the mixture until all contents are evenly combined.
Step 4: Add 1 stick of unsalted butter to a skillet pan, heat on medium flame until the surface is covered with melted butter.
Step 5: Coat the bread slice in the batter and shallow fry till the slice turns golden brown.
Step 6: Top it off with your preferred coating and serve.
Some Quick Tips
As we mentioned before, the definition of a perfect toast varies from person to person. Therefore, we bring you the tricks to craft the toast to your desire.
The density or fluffiness of your toast lies in the milk-to-egg ratio. A dense toast will contain more egg where light and fluffy French toast has a higher proportion of milk.
Unlike popular belief, fresher is not always better. A freshly baked loaf of bread is known to be soft and prone to breaking. As soon as the bread becomes soggy, it’ll be at risk of falling apart. We suggest using bread that is at least 12 hours old.
Another trick to get the juiciest French toast slices ever is using very dry bread. It will help it absorb the flavor. A good practice would be to leave some bread slices out to dry overnight.
Can’t get a crisp outside? Add some flour to the egg and milk mixture. It will make your French toast perfect, which is soft inside and crispy outside.
Something that I struggled with when I started out cooking is that my toast would always end up burnt. If this happens to you, try using vegetable oil instead of butter. You can just pour the butter over it once they’re toasted.
A Quick Note: You must agree that, whatever you might like, someone might dislike it because the taste is extremely subjective. Most of the measurements we’re going to mention in this recipe are mere suggestions for any chef worth their salt.
Choosing the Best Kind of Bread
Since bread is the main component of your toast, the kind of bread you use can be vital in the resulting dish. Below, we list a few types of breads you can use and how they might suit your preference:
Sliced Bread: It’s easy to get your hands on, available at every corner store, but very difficult to toast to perfection. Overly starchy, it does not complement most toppings.
Brioche Bread: Brioche bread is undoubtedly the royal bread. It is a richer version of your everyday sandwich bread. Its main distinctive features are its crispy outside and soft insides. Once appropriately toasted, it can result in the perfect toast with a crisp outside and succulent inside.
French Bread: While this may seem like a crazy idea right off the bat, this is the perfect choice for you. If you like an extra-plush toast, the sturdy nature of the bread allows it to absorb more of the mixture without falling apart, which can be a game-changer. It results in a perfect, exceptionally saturated French toast.
Challah: If you do not enjoy the other options, you can always give challah a try. It is what you would call a vastly different kind of bread, one that is a little sweeter than the others. While it does not have the sturdiness of the French bread, it does offer its own natural sweetness, which is something to look out for.
Recommendation: Since Challah is already a sweeter bread, we would recommend laying off the sweet toppings. As a general rule of thumb, try pairing Challah French toast with something tangy or spicy to mitigate the extra sweetness.
Toppings:
As mentioned above, the taste of French toast can vary massively due to its versatile set of toppings. Below, we will provide a list of some of our favorites:
• Nutella
Do we even have to point it out? Nutella has become like a jack of all trades, and such is the case with French toast. Just dab a few times onto the toasted bread and enjoy. (This is for people who have a sweet tooth)
• Cinnamon
Try at your own risk. Dusting just a pinch of cinnamon onto your toast can make a world of difference, but it is very addicting. We’ve warned you. You can’t blame us if you find yourself addicted.
• Pecans
With a little flavor of their own, their crunchiness can help enhance the flavor of your taste and the overall experience. They do have a hint of bitterness, which certainly complements the existing flavor.
Conclusion
No matter what anybody says, a good toast in the morning can help wash your sleep away. Hopefully, with this fantastic IHOP French toast recipe, you will be able to navigate your way through your French toast cravings.
Now that you know about crafting the perfect French toast, from bread to toppings, we hope you will have some fun in the kitchen. Let us know what you think about this classic recipe in the comment section down below.
