French Toast, Perfected

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 35 minutes
• total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup half-and-half

2 large eggs

1/4 cup white sugar, plus more for sprinkling

2 tablespoons semolina flour

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 1-inch-thick slices challah or 1-inch-thick slices from a rustic Italian loaf (see headnote)

2 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces

Maple syrup, to serve

Directions

Dry the bread. Heat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the middle position. Meanwhile, place the bread slices in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in the oven until the surfaces are dry and crisp but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through; they will not be dry throughout. Let cool. (Alternatively, allow the slices to dry overnight, uncovered, on a wire rack.)

Mix custard. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, whisk the half-and-half, eggs, sugar, semolina and vanilla. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Soak bread. Whisk the egg mixture to recombine. Place the bread slices in a single layer in the baking dish. Let stand until most of the liquid is absorbed, 10 minutes for challah or 15 minutes for Italian bread, flipping the slices halfway through; occasionally tilt the baking dish back and forth to ensure all sides of the slices are moistened.

Fry French toast. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low, melt 1 tablespoon butter until foaming. Sprinkle each of 2 bread slices with ½ teaspoon sugar, then place them sugared side down in the pan. Sprinkle the face-up side of each slice with another ½ teaspoon sugar, then cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Using a spatula, flip each slice; cook until the second sides are golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to individual plates.

Wipe out the skillet. Using the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and additional sugar, cook the remaining bread slices in the same way.

Serve with maple syrup.

Notes

177 Milk Street. This recipe delivers thick slabs of French toast that are crispy outside, yet rich and custardy at the center, but without any sogginess. For plush, tender French toast, challah is best; for a heartier texture, opt for a batard-shaped Italian bread with a sturdy, rustic crumb (look for a loaf about 6 inches wide by 4 inches high). Whichever you use, cut 1-inch-thick slices from the center, if possible. Drying the bread on the surface is essential for proper absorption. The surprise ingredient is semolina. A couple tablespoons in the egg-milk soak adds just the right amount of starch so the bread does not become limp and structureless at the center. Sugar sprinkled onto the surface of the soaked slices just before butter-frying yields crisp caramelization.