Strawberry Skillet French Toast
Pan-toasted bread soaked in a quick egg and milk custard, topped with warm maple strawberries. A fast stovetop breakfast that leans on protein from the eggs.
- Total
- 15 min
- Prep 5 · Cook 10
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Simmering · Whisking
- Sweet
- Quick
- Stovetop
Instructions
-
Hull the strawberries and cut them into 1 cm slices. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, cinnamon and salt with a fork until no streaks of egg white remain.
~4 min
Slicing strawberries uniformly ensures they soften at the same rate and release juice evenly into the syrup.
Whisking Whisk briskly until no streaks of egg white remain; a uniform mixture ensures even soaking and cooking.
-
Put the strawberries and maple syrup in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring now and then, until the berries soften and release their juice into a glossy syrup, about 5 minutes.
~5 min
Gentle heat and stirring help the strawberries release their pectin and juices, creating a glossy syrup without scorching.
Simmering Keep the heat low and stir occasionally so the strawberries soften and release juice without scorching; the syrup should be glossy, not boiling hard.
-
While step 2 cooks
While the strawberries cook, heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Dip both slices of bread in the egg mixture, turning once, and let each slice soak for about 10 seconds per side so the custard reaches the middle without tearing the bread.
~3 min
Brief soaking lets the custard penetrate without oversaturating, so the bread stays intact and cooks through.
Soak the bread only briefly: a long dip makes it fall apart in the pan, while a quick one keeps the middle custardy and the crust golden.
-
Lay the soaked bread in the hot skillet and cook until the underside is deep golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip with a spatula and cook the second side until golden and the custard is fully set with no wet egg in the center, about 2 minutes more.
~5 min
Cooking the first side undisturbed builds a golden crust, while flipping sets the custard and prevents a raw center.
If the pan runs dry between slices, add a few drops of oil rather than more heat, so the egg custard sets without scorching.
-
Stack the French toast on a plate and spoon the warm maple strawberries and their syrup over the top. Serve right away.
~1 min