Buttermilk Maple French Toast

French toast batter has two main components: eggs and milk. You can use either regular milk or non-dairy milk, depending on what you have in your refrigerator. In all the years I have been making french toast, it never occurred to me to make it with buttermilk instead of regular milk, but it is actually an excellent choice for french toast. Buttermilk has a slightly thicker consistency than regular milk, yielding a slightly creamier custard mixture, and a soft tang that gives the french toast a little extra complexity. After tasting my Buttermilk Maple French Toast you will probably be hooked, too.

The base for this french toast is eggs, buttermilk, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Some french toast batters don’t use sweeteners, but since buttermilk is so tangy, it is nice to have a little extra sweetness in the mix to balance things out. You only need a small amount of maple syrup, since you’re going to pour more over your french toast when you go to serve it. I use a white bread or a rich, eggy bread, such as challah or brioche, for making french toast because these types of bread really absorb the flavors in the custard base. You’re going to taste buttermilk, maple and vanilla in every bite of your breakfast.

This is a relatively small batch recipe that is good for serving just two or three people using sandwich-type bread. If you are using very thick-cut bread, you may find that you need to double the recipe to account for the amount of custard that is going to be absorbed by each slice. Cook your french toast in a lightly greased or nonstick pan until it is golden on both sides. The bread should spring back when gently pressed, as that is an indicator that your toast is cooked all the way through and will not be soggy in the center.

Buttermilk Maple French Toast
2 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 slices white bread or brioche

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, maple syrup and vanilla extract. When well-combined, pour into a large, shallow dish.
Preheat a nonstick or lightly greased griddle over medium heat.
Preheat a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Dip the bread, one piece at a time, into the buttermilk mixture. Allow each side to soak thoroughly, poking the slice with a fork to saturate it. Transfer to hot pan with a spatula. Cook until golden, about 3-5 minutes, then flip and cook until golden on the second side, 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately, and repeat with remaining slices of bread.
Recipe can be doubled to serve more.

Serves 2-3