Yucatán-Style French Toast

Method10 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Combine the water (4 cups), sugar (1½ cups), raisins (¼ cup), cinnamon stick and whole cloves (3) in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then simmer for about 35 minutes, until lightly syrupy and fragrant. Turn off the heat and stir in the optional dry sherry (2 tbsp). Remove the cinnamon stick and all three cloves, leaving the raisins in the syrup. Cover to keep warm while you make the toast.

   Check spiced syrup · 35 minUses 4 cups water for syrup · 1½ cups granulated sugar · ¼ cup raisins · 1 Ceylon cinnamon stick · 3 whole cloves · 2 tbsp dry sherry, optional

2. 2

   Step 2: While the syrup simmers, beat all six egg whites until stiff peaks form. Reduce the mixer speed and add the six yolks one at a time, mixing only until incorporated so the coating stays fluffy.

   Uses 6 eggs, separated

3. 3

   Step 3: Stir all the milk (1 cup), the whole can of sweetened condensed milk and the vanilla extract (1 tbsp) together in a separate bowl.

   Uses 1 cup milk · 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk · 1 tbsp vanilla extract

4. 4

   Step 4: Have the baguette cut into ¾-inch slices. Set the milk bowl next to the beaten-egg bowl beside the stove, and line a tray with paper towels for draining. Keep the two mixtures separate: the bread goes into milk first, then egg.

   Uses All the prepared egg coating from step 2 · All the prepared milk mixture from step 3 · 1 large French baguette, cut into ¾-inch slices

5. 5

   Step 5: Pour vegetable oil into a large frying pan to make a layer about ¼ inch deep. Heat over medium heat until the surface ripples but does not smoke.

   Uses Vegetable oil for a ¼-inch-deep frying layer

6. 6

   Step 6: Working one slice at a time, dunk the first panful of bread in the sweetened milk until soaked, then coat it completely in the fluffy egg mixture. Place the coated slices carefully into the hot oil without crowding. Fry the first side for about 1 minute, watching for a golden crust.

   Check first toast side · 1 minUses The bread slices that fit the first uncrowded panful, from step 4 · Enough prepared milk mixture from step 4 to soak the first batch · Enough prepared egg mixture from step 4 to coat the first batch · The hot oil reservoir from step 5, reused across batches

7. 7

   Step 7: Turn the first panful and fry the other side for about 1 minute, until golden. Continue as needed until the egg coating is fully set and the centre is hot, reaching 71°C/160°F. Lift the cooked slices onto the paper towels to drain, leaving the oil in the pan.

   Check second toast side · 1 minUses The first coated panful and its frying phase from step 6

8. 8

   Step 8: Repeat the milk soak, fluffy egg coating and frying with the remaining bread, using the same oil and leaving room between slices. Fry each side for about 1 minute as an initial guide, continuing until golden with fully set egg coating and a hot centre at 71°C/160°F. Drain each cooked batch on paper towels. Discard any unused milk and egg mixtures after coating the bread.

   Uses The first cooked bread from step 7, leaving the frying oil behind · The remaining bread from step 4 · Further soaking draws from the remaining milk mixture in step 4 · Further coating draws from the remaining egg mixture in step 4 · The same frying oil reservoir from step 5

9. 9

   Step 9: Serve the cooked toast covered with warm syrup and raisins and sprinkled with chopped almonds. Share between six to eight servings. For the traditional cold version, cool the cooked toast briefly and refrigerate it and the syrup within 2 hours, then serve chilled with the almonds.

   Uses The toast being served from step 8, leaving pan oil and discarded mixtures behind · Syrup and raisins from step 1, as needed for these servings · Chopped almonds for these servings, from the ½-cup allowance

10. 10

    Step 10: If keeping cooked toast for later, place the unserved pieces in a covered container with the remaining syrup and almonds you want to use. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Serve cold, as you would the chilled version.

    Uses Any unserved cooked toast from step 9 · Remaining syrup and raisins from step 1 for the retained toast · Any remaining chopped almonds used for the retained toast