French toast adapts to most occasions

French toast feels delightfully “special occasion,” yet it’s much easier for the cook than pancakes or waffles.

The basic technique begins with bread, of course, and a batter of eggs and milk, half-and-half or cream. Vanilla is the classic flavoring, but I have fun with other flavorings, as well as liqueurs such as Grand Marnier.

And good French toast needs some spice, so I usually add cinnamon. Dried spices tend to float on top of the mixture and get soaked up by the first slice of bread, so I mix a little hot water with the spices before whisking them into the batter.

How long to soak the bread in the egg mixture comes down to personal taste. I don’t like it too soggy, so I do a quick dip on both sides so the bread is thoroughly coated but not soaked through. You may need to experiment to find your preference.

After dipping, cook the slices in butter, which provides flavor, of course, but also the beautiful browning that a perfect piece of French toast must exhibit. A nonstick skillet isn’t essential, but it helps a lot, unless you’ve got a nicely seasoned cast-iron skillet or you’re good at using your heavy All-Clad or Calphalon. Don’t try frying French toast in a lightweight, thin skillet that’s not nonstick; you’re likely to get frustrated with cooked-on batter and uneven heating.

Cook French toast over medium heat: hot enough to brown the outside but moderate enough so the inside has a chance to get cooked through before the outside gets too done. Still, it’s hard not to end up with butter that’s browned too much. I just wipe out the skillet after cooking each batch and add more butter as needed.

Beyond these basics, recipes for French toast can get creative. I use just about any kind of bread. Day-old bread works best; it allows the bread to absorb a lot of batter without getting too soggy and falling apart. I think the fat, soft loaves of “French bread” that lots of grocery store bakeries sell work beautifully. Challah and brioche bread make outstanding, though delicate and rich, French toast. A sourdough loaf will give your French toast a delightful tanginess, and cinnamon-raisin and whole-wheat bread add extra flavor of their own.

Straight French toast with maple syrup and butter is wonderful (oh, and perhaps a side order of bacon?), but for a special meal I like to make a special syrup; here, I’m offering a spiced cranberry syrup (use the leftover to top vanilla ice cream) and a blueberry topping that’s so good there probably won’t be any left over.

I sometimes make stuffed French toast: a thick slice of French bread slit open to form a pocket that I fill with a flavored cream cheese. In the accompanying recipe, the cheese is flavored with lemon zest.

Classic French Toast

Basic and simple, this recipe lends itself to endless variations depending on the type of bread used. It’s the recipe I turn to most often.

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup half-and-half

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Dash of salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (more or less to taste), dissolved in a little hot water

4 slices 3/4-inch-thick bread, your choice

Butter for cooking

Maple syrup for serving

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, sugar, vanilla, salt and cinnamon, thoroughly incorporating the eggs so the whites are completely blended. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish, such as a pie plate, for easier dipping.

Dip bread slices in egg mixture, turning to coat both sides, until thoroughly coated (if using crusty artisan bread, soak for 2 to 3 minutes per side).

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook slices in melted butter over medium heat about 3 minutes on each side, not cooking too quickly, until nicely browned. Wipe skillet with a paper towel between batches (if doing more than one recipe), adding another tablespoon of butter as needed.

Serve warm with maple syrup.

Note: To keep cooked slices warm until ready to serve, place them on a baking sheet and place in a 200-degree oven.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate due to recipe variables.

Orange-Kissed French Toast

Adapted from a recipe served at the Heartstone Inn, Eureka Springs, Ark.

This isn’t an everyday French toast recipe. Crispy outside, soft and moist inside, it’s the perfect way to say “good morning” to special people on special occasions. The batter does contain liqueur, so it’s for grown-ups only.

Grand Marnier is orange-flavored liqueur. It’s expensive, but you don’t have to buy a big bottle for this recipe. The little sampler-sized bottles sold at the liquor store each contain about 1/4 cup, so buy two for this recipe.

The juice of 1 orange may be just a sip shy of 2/3 cup. If it is, add a little of your everyday orange juice to make up the difference.

6 large eggs

2/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (the juice of 1 large orange)

1/3 cup Grand Marnier

1/3 cup half-and-half

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

Finely grated zest of 1 orange

8 (3/4-inch) slices of good-quality French bread

3 to 4 tablespoons butter

Powdered sugar

Maple syrup

The night before, whisk eggs thoroughly in a large bowl. Add orange juice, Grand Marnier, half-and-half, sugar, vanilla, salt and orange zest; whisk well.

Dip bread slices into egg mixture, turning to coat all sides. Place bread slices in a large baking pan in a single layer, taking care not to crowd them too much. Pour any remaining egg mixture over the bread. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, melt the butter in a large skillet (a big electric griddle works well). Use half the butter if you’re going to cook the slices in batches. Cook bread slices in melted butter over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes on each side until golden brown. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.

Cut slices diagonally and place on serving plate. Dust lightly with powdered sugar, and serve warm with maple syrup. Orange slices make a nice garnish.

Yield: 4 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate.

Stuffed Blueberry French Toast

If you use a sturdier, artisan-type bread, you could fill the slices with the cream cheese the night before, place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator to save time in the morning. And definitely make the Blueberry Sauce before cooking French toast; the night before is fine for that, too. Just reheat gently in the morning.

Blueberry Sauce:

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup water

2 cups thawed frozen blueberries

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon butter

French toast:

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Grated zest of one lemon

1 16-ounce loaf French bread

4 large eggs

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Butter for cooking

To make Blueberry Sauce: Combine sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Add water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add blueberries and reduce heat. Simmer about 8 to 10 minutes or until blueberries burst. Stir in lemon juice and butter. Keep warm until ready to serve. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

To make French toast: Preheat oven to 200 degrees. In a small bowl, blend cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and zest until smooth and creamy. Pack into a heavy-duty plastic bag (such as a freezer bag). Set aside.

Cut bread into 10 to 12 slices, 11/2 inches thick. With a thin, sharp knife, carefully cut a “pocket” in each slice; the pocket should be the width of the slice, being careful not to poke through the sides. Snip about 1/2-inch off one of the bottom corners of the cream-cheese-filled plastic bag. Twist the top of the bag, squishing the cream cheese into the snipped corner. Squeeze about 11/2 tablespoons of filling into each pocket. (It’s easiest to do this in assembly-line fashion. Cut pockets in all the slices first, then fill all the slices at once.)

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, cream and vanilla until eggs are thoroughly incorporated. Pour mixture into a shallow pan for easier dipping. Dip the stuffed slices in the egg mixture, turning to coat both sides.

Melt about 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Place as many slices as will fit in the skillet and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the slices about 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in 200-degree oven. Wipe skillet with a paper towel between batches and melt more butter as needed. Serve immediately with warm Blueberry Sauce.

Yield: 5 to 12 servings, depending on how many slices per serving

Approximate nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate.

Cranberry Syrup

11/4 cups granulated sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 cups unsweetened cranberry juice

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Large pinch ground cloves

In a medium saucepan, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, cranberry juice, corn syrup, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil uncovered 6 to 8 minutes, until slightly thickened (the syrup will thicken more as it cools). Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Yield: 3 cups

Approximate nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate.