Watch: A Professional Chef Gives Our Lowest-Rated French Toast a Total Makeover

You’ve seen professional chef Roscoe Hall take a lackluster mac and cheese and turn it into a creamy mac masterpiece (if you haven’t watched already, do that ASAP). In the second episode of our new recipe-saving series, he’s taking another classic comfort food from disappointing to over-the-top delicious.

Roscoe’s French Toast Takeover

Roscoe’s challenge of the week is to take our lowest-rated French toast recipe and give it the royal treatment, turning it into a breakfast worthy of a 5-star review. The original recipe for Easy French Toast had only 2.8 stars, with reviews that called it “not good,” “soggy,” and “a disappointment for the kids before school.” Yikes.

Right off the bat, Roscoe recognizes the sandwich bread the recipe called for was too thin to soak up the custard for a full 20 seconds per side. Plus, the dish was over-seasoned with cinnamon. “Even Cinnabon doesn’t use that much cinnamon,” he says.

To rework this recipe, Roscoe replaces the milk with heavy cream to make a richer egg custard. He adds freshly grated orange zest and nutmeg to amp up the flavor, then gives it a splash of Cognac for sweetness and depth. “This is what makes it 6-star,” he says.

According to Rosce, thick slices of bread are key, and while he cuts his from a standard Pullman loaf, he says challah or brioche slices would also be delicious. After giving each slice a nice, long soak, he cooks the bread in a hot skillet full of melted butter. 

The result? Crispy, custardy French toast with just enough sweetness and flavor to satisfy your morning cravings. For all of Roscoe’s French toast tips and tricks (including his secret to the sweetest finish), check out the full Recipe Redemption episode. 

How to Make Roscoe's Redeemed French Toast

• 1 egg 
• ¾ cup heavy cream 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• Zest of ½ orange
• A pinch of grated nutmeg 
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• Salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon Cognac 
• 2 slices of thick-cut bread (Pullman, challah, or brioche)
• 3-4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Optional: Whipped salted butter and powdered sugar for topping

1. In a medium bowl, beat together the egg, cream, orange zest, vanilla, nutmeg, Cognac, and salt, whisking until fully incorporated. Soak the bread for 2-3 minutes per side (or longer if desired).
2. Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat, swirling it around to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the bread slices and adjust the heat if you notice the bread browning too fast. Once one side has cooked for about a minute, flip and sprinkle a pinch of granulated sugar over the browned crust. Repeat on the other side, allowing the sugared sides to caramelize in the pan for 30 seconds to a minute more, adding more butter if needed.
3. Finally, plate the slices with powdered sugar and a dollop of whipped butter. Finish it off with maple syrup, and your 5-star (maybe even 6-star!) French toast breakfast is served.