Equipment
Ingredients
Savory Custard Base
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 60 ml whole milk
- 30 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 5 g dijon mustard
- 2 g garlic powder
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 g kosher salt
Bread & Cheese Crust
- 4 sourdough bread, thickly sliced, slightly stale
- 20 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
Cooking Fats
- 15 g unsalted butter
- 15 ml olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 522 kcal
- Protein
- 23 g
- Carbohydrates
- 42 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 1478 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 11 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 222 mg
- Potassium
- 156 mg
- Calcium
- 363 mg
- Iron
- 1.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 23 mg
- Phosphorus
- 307 mg
- Zinc
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 197 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 7 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.37 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 28 mcg
- Water
- 75 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, whole milk, 30g of grated Parmesan cheese, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until the liquid is cohesive and the spices are evenly distributed.
Place the bread slices into the custard mixture. Let them soak for about 2 minutes, then carefully flip to soak the other side for an additional 2 minutes.
Place a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the unsalted butter and olive oil, allowing the butter to melt completely and begin to foam gently.
Lift the soaked bread from the bowl, letting any excess liquid drip off. Sprinkle half of the reserved 20g of Parmesan cheese evenly over one side of the bread slices.
Place the bread into the skillet, cheese-side down. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the bottom forms a deeply golden, lacy crust. While the first side cooks, sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese onto the upward-facing side of the bread.
Carefully flip the bread slices and cook for an additional 3 minutes, or until the second side is equally crispy and golden, and the center reaches an internal temperature of 74 C or 165 F.
Remove the savory French toast from the skillet and transfer to warm plates. Serve immediately while the exterior cheese crust remains hot and delightfully crisp.
Chef's Notes
- Using a combination of butter and olive oil is crucial; the oil raises the smoke point, preventing the milk solids in the butter from burning during the frying process while still providing rich flavor.
- Day-old, slightly stale sourdough or brioche acts like a sponge, absorbing the custard thoroughly without disintegrating the way fresh, soft bread might.
- Grating the Parmesan on a microplane or fine grater ensures it melts quickly and evenly into a cohesive, crispy frico-style crust rather than clumping.
- If your loaf has particularly dense crusts, you may score the edges slightly before soaking to prevent the bread from curling up in the hot skillet.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store in an airtight container lined with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to an airtight bag, separating slices with parchment paper.
Reheating: Toast in a skillet over medium heat or in a 175 C (350 F) toaster oven for 5-7 minutes until the cheese crust regains crispness.
Troubleshooting
Center of the bread is soggy and undercooked
Cause: The heat was too high, burning the outside before the inside could cook, or the bread was soaked too long.
Fix: Transfer the toast to a 175 C (350 F) oven for 5-8 minutes to cook the center through without burning the exterior.
Prevention: Use day-old bread, limit soaking to 1-2 minutes per side depending on bread thickness, and maintain moderate, even heat.
Cheese crust sticks to the pan and tears off
Cause: Flipping too early or using insufficient fat in a pan that lacks non-stick qualities.
Fix: Scrape the cheese bits off the pan and gently press them back onto the toast.
Prevention: Ensure the pan is adequately preheated, use enough butter and oil, and wait until the cheese is fully browned and naturally releases before flipping.
Cultural Context
While French toast, known historically as pain perdu or lost bread, is most frequently associated with sweet breakfast platters layered with syrup and fruit, savory variations have roots stretching back to the Roman Empire. Utilizing stale bread to stretch savory staples like cheese, herbs, and mustard was a crucial culinary technique for minimizing food waste in traditional European kitchens.
