I was first introduced to this epic French toast in Baltimore, MD, back in the late ‘90s at a lovely hole-in-the-wall breakfast spot, The Blue Moon Café. At that time, my family and I would make our annual trek down from New Jersey to visit Johns Hopkins for my cardiac checkups, which were as much fun as they sound. While in the area, we would make a point to stop here to get their amazing French toast. It was honestly THE highlight of our visits. I should have known then that I was destined for a culinary career.

Celebrated in the area for its iconic dishes that are innovative and adventurous, the café’s aesthetic is just as delightful with its funky artwork, playful spirit, and diner vibe. The owner, Sarah Simington, opened the first location in Fells Point with her mother, Sherri, in ’96 and then a second, Blue Moon Too, in Federal Hill in 2015. According to their site, Sarah’s inspiration for her restaurants was growing up surrounded by diner food and falling in love with breakfast, which shines through in the menu, particularly her French toasts.

The trick to making great French toast boils down to these four crucial components:

1. Using the right bread
2. Not over-soaking the bread in the custard
3. Using a nonstick skillet
4. Cooking the French toast over medium-low heat

The best type of bread for French toast depends on the type of French toast that you’re making. If you’re making a basic French toast, regular white bread is perfect. But, if you’re making a heartier French toast that will need to hold its shape and not buckle under pressure, like this Cap’n Crunch French toast or a cream cheese-stuffed French toast, a thicker, denser bread like brioche or challah is your best choice.

If you leave the bread in the custard for too long, it will ruin the structure of the bread when you go to cook it, leaving you with a soggy inside. Nobody wants a soggy, undercooked piece of French toast.

A nonstick skillet provides for more even cooking and allows the French toast to release easier when flipped. I did two tests when developing this recipe: one batch was made with a regular skillet and a second identical batch with a nonstick skillet. The regular skillet tended to burn the bottom of the French toast. The regular skillet also made flipping the French toast without tearing it apart a real challenge. In the nonstick skillet, on the other hand, the French toast became golden brown within three minutes on each side and was very easy to flip. The bread cooked through thoroughly and there were no burnt sections.

As someone whose impatience screams at me to put my burner on high heat and cook whatever I’m making fast, French toast makes me take a beat and sit in the moment. This is to say, when cooking French toast, low and slow is your friend. In this case, medium-low. Any temperature higher than that and you run the risk of burning the outside of your French toast and having an undercooked center. If you’re like me, it may take a moment to adjust to this slower pace of cooking, but it’s well worth it.

It comes down to your preference and/or what you have on hand. I prefer butter when making my French toast, as the milk solids brown in the pan and add a richness to the flavor.

If you don’t have any butter on hand, you can replace the butter with a neutral oil or shortening. Make sure to use just enough to coat the bottom of the pan.

• Set up your dredging station so that you can easily create a production line. From left to right: sliced bread, custard, crushed cereal, and then your stove. This allows you to easily dip your slices of brioche in the custard, transfer them to the crushed cereal to coat, and then move them to the nonstick skillet to cook.
• Don’t let the bread sit in the custard for longer than 30 seconds per side. Otherwise, the bread will become mushy and will fall apart during cooking or won’t cook through all the way, leaving you with a soggy, uncooked piece of sad French toast. Nobody wants sad French toast.
• Use a nonstick skillet. You may be tempted to use a regular skillet, but I would advise against it. Nonstick pans have a coating that allows for easier release of the food from the pan. That way you don’t destroy your end product when trying to flip it. If you don’t have a nonstick skillet, I highly recommend investing in one. Not sure where to start? We’ve done the legwork and tested and reviewed our top favorites in this article.
• Depending on the size and shape of your brioche, you might be able to fit two slices of French toast in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. This will speed up the cooking time.
• Do NOT use metal utensils on your nonstick cookware. It will scratch the protective coating. Instead, use a high-heat silicone spatula or a silicone flipping spatula.
• Make sure to add a tablespoon of butter in between cooking each slice of French toast. This will help with the flavor, and ensure the French toast doesn’t burn on the bottom.

If you’re looking to save time the day-of, make the whipped cream the day before and keep refrigerated until ready to use. Or for more flavor, start the cereal cream the night before and keep refrigerated until ready to strain and whip.