Food - Drink
Alton Brown's Trick For Keeping French Toast Warm And Crisp
By ARIANNA ENDICOTT
Despite its name, French toast originated in Rome, where ancient Romans dipped slices of bread in milk and sometimes eggs before frying them. Not much has changed since then, since French toast is still best enjoyed when warm and crispy, and "Iron Chef America" host Alton Brown has the perfect trick to keep this dish toasty.
In a YouTube video, Brown demonstrates his method of using two baking trays with racks, placing the first empty rack in the oven set at 375 degrees Fahrenheit to warm up. He then lines up his batter-soaked bread slices on the second rack, letting them sit for a minute before frying them in a pan or on an electric griddle.
Once fried to a golden brown, the celebrity chef transfers the French toast slices onto the rack that's been warmed in the oven until ready to serve, allowing them to dry out just enough to achieve a crispy outer layer. Brown recommends slicing French toast into triangles, then topping with fruit and dark maple syrup.