Culinary connoisseurs certainly know that french toast is one of the most popular breakfast menus in western countries. In general, traditional french toast is made of bread soaked in a mixture of egg and milk. However, if you are lactose intolerant or are a vegan, the recipe will of course have to be modified. Fortunately, there are various variations of french toast recipes that don't use milk and are no less delicious, you know! So what if you don't even have plant-based milk or non-dairy milk? Don't worry, this article also includes a modified recipe!
Ingredients
Dairy Free French Toast
- 2 eggs
- tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 tsp. sugar
- tsp. cinnamon powder
- 4-6 slices of one day old white bread
- Coconut oil or butter, for frying
Complementary (optional)
- Maple syrup
- Banana slices
- Fresh berries
For: 2 servings
French Toast Without Dairy Products
- 4 eggs
- 160 ml thick or thin coconut milk
- 2 tsp. sugar or maple syrup
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- tsp. salt
- 10-12 slices of one day old white bread
- Coconut oil, for frying
Complementary (optional)
- Vegetable butter
- Roasted coconut
- Banana slices
- Maple syrup
For: 4-6 servings
French Toast for Vegans
- 1 banana
- 240 ml almond milk or other vegetable milk
- 1 tsp. cinnamon powder
- tsp. vanilla extract
- 6 slices of one day old white bread
- Coconut oil, for frying
Complementary (optional)
- 125 ml thick coconut milk (high fat)
- Strawberry
- raspberry
- Blueberries
For: 2 servings
Step
Method 1 of 3: Making Dairy-Free French Toast
Step 1. Thickly slice bread that has been left overnight or one day old
This recipe should yield enough dough to soak four 2.5cm-thick slices of bread, or six 2cm-thick slices of bread.
Step 2. Beat eggs, vanilla extract, sugar, and ground cinnamon
Crack the eggs into a flat bowl, then beat with a whisk until they are pale in color and no longer runny in texture. Then, add the vanilla extract, sugar, and ground cinnamon; Then beat again until all ingredients are well mixed.
Step 3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat
If you don't have a nonstick skillet, you can use a regular skillet that has been greased with 1 tbsp. butter or coconut oil. Make sure the pan is hot enough to make a hissing sound when it is dripped with water.
Step 4. Dip both sides of the bread into the dough, and make sure the dough is well absorbed into every pore of the bread
After that, remove the bread and let the excess batter drip back into the pan before frying it.
Step 5. Place the bread on the pan, then cook each side for 2-4 minutes
Once one side is cooked, flip the bread over with a spatula and cook the other side at the same time. The bread is done when the surface looks crisp and brown.
If the pan is large enough, you can fry two slices of bread at once. However, make sure the edges of the bread don't touch each other
Step 6. Transfer the bread to a serving plate, then continue the process of frying the remaining bread
If the pan looks dry, add more butter or coconut oil to taste. Don't forget to cover the cooked bread with a clean kitchen towel to keep the temperature warm.
Step 7. Serve french toast
Bread can be served straight or garnished with sliced bananas or fresh berries. If you want, you can also pour a little maple syrup over the top of the bread to enhance the taste.
Method 2 of 3: Making French Toast Without Dairy Products
Step 1. Slice the bread to a thickness of 2 cm
To make french toast, you should use bread that has been left overnight or one day old. The drier the texture of the bread, the more suitable it is to be processed into french toast!
Step 2. Beat the eggs in a flat bowl
The eggs should be beaten until the texture is smooth and creamy and the color is pale yellow. This process can be done using your hands, a mixer, or a hand blender.
Step 3. Combine coconut milk, sugar, vanilla extract and salt
Stir until all ingredients are well blended, the texture is smooth and thick, and the color looks consistent.
For a more traditional taste, add 2 tbsp. cinnamon powder
Step 4. Heat a skillet to medium heat
Use a nonstick skillet for best results. If you don't have a nonstick skillet, you can use a regular skillet greased with 1 tbsp. coconut oil or vegetable butter. Remember, the temperature of the pan should be hot enough to make a hissing sound when dripping water.
Step 5. Dip a piece of bread into the batter
Make sure the dough is well absorbed into every pore of the bread. Then, remove the bread and let the excess dough drip back into the pan.
Step 6. Fry each side of the bread for 2-4 minutes
Place a piece of bread on the pan. If the size of the pan is large enough, you can fry several pieces of bread that have been soaked in the batter at once. However, make sure the edges of the bread don't touch each other! Fry each side of the loaf for 2-4 minutes, then flip using a spatula and cook the other side at the same time. The bread is cooked and ready to serve when the surface is crisp and browned.
Step 7. Transfer the bread to a serving plate, then continue the process of frying the remaining bread
After using it for a while, the pan will dry out because the oil has run out. If that happens, just add a little coconut oil (or vegetable butter) to the pan. Don't forget to cover the cooked bread with a clean kitchen towel to keep it warm!
Step 8. Serve french toast
Bread can be served straight or pre-garnished with your favorite accompaniment. Generally, maple syrup and/or vegetable butter are the most common accompaniments. However, you can also be creative by sprinkling toasted coconut or banana slices on the surface of the french toast.
Method 3 of 3: Making French Toast for Vegans
Step 1. Cool the coconut milk first
If you want to decorate the surface of the bread with coconut cream, you will first need to chill a can of coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight. Remember, the coconut milk should not be shaken to separate the cream or coconut milk from the liquid.
Step 2. Slice the bread to a thickness of 2.5 cm
For best results, use one day old or one that has been left overnight. If that's considered too thick, try slicing the bread into 2cm thick slices.
Step 3. Process the bananas, milk, and other ingredients until the texture is smooth and thick
Peel the bananas first, then put the flesh of the fruit into a blender. After that, add the almond milk, cinnamon powder, and vanilla extract, then process all the ingredients until the texture is thick and not lumpy.
- If the taste is too sweet for your taste, try adding tsp. salt.
- You can actually do this process manually. However, make sure the banana texture is completely mashed and doesn't leave lumps.
- If you don't have or don't like the taste of almond milk, you can use other plant-based dairy products, such as thin coconut milk or soy milk.
Step 4. Transfer the dough to a flat baking sheet, then dip a piece of bread in it
Once the dough is poured into a flat pan, dip a piece of bread in it, and make sure the dough is well absorbed into the bread. Remove the bread, and allow the excess dough to drip back into the pan.
Step 5. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat
Pour in about 1 tbsp. coconut oil in a frying pan; Let stand until the oil melts and is hot. To check the temperature of the pan, try pouring a drop of water into the pan. If the temperature is hot enough, the pan should make a hissing sound when it hits the water.
Step 6. Fry each side of the bread for 3-4 minutes
Place a piece of bread on the pan, and fry one side for 3-4 minutes. Once that side is cooked, flip the bread over with a spatula, then cook the other side at the same time. Once the surface looks crispy and browned, drain the bread and transfer it to a serving plate.
Step 7. Continue the process of dipping and frying the bread
Don't forget to cover the cooked bread with kitchen paper to keep it warm! If the surface of the pan starts to look dry, add coconut oil before continuing with the bread-frying process.
Step 8. Make coconut cream, if you want to use it
First, remove a can of coconut milk from the refrigerator, then scoop out the hardened coconut milk using a spoon. For this recipe, you don't need to use liquid coconut milk separate from the coconut milk. Then, beat the coconut milk for 30 seconds or until the texture is soft and thickened. This process can be done using a mixer or food processor equipped with a dough beater.
- To make the cream taste sweeter, add a little maple syrup or nectar.
- The use of coconut cream is optional, but it's worth a try to add deliciousness to your french toast!
Step 9. Serve french toast
Place a few slices of bread on a plate, then pour a spoonful of coconut cream on top. After that, the bread can be sprinkled with blueberries, raspberries, and/or sliced strawberries for a fresher taste.
If you don't want to use coconut cream, you can pour a little maple syrup or nectar over the top of the bread
Tips
- In fact, bread that has been aged for a day or left overnight is the most suitable for processing into french toast.
- If the bread is still fresh, you can slice it first, then let it sit at room temperature (like on the kitchen counter) for a few hours to let the texture dry out.
- If you want to fry a lot of french toast, try using a griddle or a flat grill that is wide enough. First, set the grill to 177°C. Once the toaster is hot, cook each side of the loaf for 1-2 minutes.
- Another way to keep french toast warm is to store it in the oven set to the lowest possible temperature.
- To enrich the final taste, sprinkle the french toast with a little powdered sugar, then decorate the surface with fresh strawberry slices.
- In addition to flat pans, bread dough can also be mixed in cake pans, pie pans, or casserole pans.
- Make sure the flat pan is large enough to fit the entire sheet of white bread.
