Name: Vegan French Toast
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 24 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients: 1 loaf white bread (1 (10-inch/18 to 20 oz) freshly baked soft (not crusty or hard, see Note 2)); 10 slices sandwich bread (10 to 12 THICK-CUT white (¾” thick) (see Note 3)); 12 ounces silken tofu (drained); 1.5 cups unsweetened soy milk; 2 tbsp vegan butter (melted); 5 tbsp organic brown sugar (50 to 55g); 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon (see Note 4); 0.5 tsp freshly grated nutmeg; 1.5 tsp orange zest (about 1 medium orange); 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract; 0.25 tsp fine sea salt (more as needed); 0.125 tsp kala namak (optional, for a subtle eggy flavor); 2.5 tbsp arrowroot powder (or cornstarch); 3 tbsp vegan butter (plus more for serving); 3 tbsp neutral-flavored high-heat oil (for cooking); null null pure maple syrup

Instructions

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1

If using freshly baked soft white bread: Slice the loaf into thick slices (1 inch). Place [sliced bread] or [sandwich bread slices] on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 250ºF/120ºC. Bake the [bread] for minutes (6), then flip and bake for minutes (4). If using THICK-CUT white sandwich bread: Preheat the oven to 300ºF/150ºC. Bake for minutes (8), then flip and bake for minutes (6). Transfer toasted [bread] to a plate or cutting board; cool for minutes (5). Turn the oven off, or reduce the temp to 200ºF/95ºC and keep the rack-fitted sheet pan handy.
2

While the bread toasts, make the batter: In a blender, combine silken tofu (12 ounces), unsweetened soy milk (1.5 cups), vegan butter (2 tbsp), organic brown sugar (5 tbsp), ground cinnamon (1.5 tsp), freshly grated nutmeg (0.5 tsp), orange zest (1.5 tsp), pure vanilla extract (1.5 tsp), and fine sea salt (0.25 tsp). Blend until completely smooth. Taste, adding more nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, or orange zest as desired. Now add kala namak (0.125 tsp) (if using) and arrowroot powder (2.5 tbsp). Blend again to incorporate.
3

Pour the [batter] into a 9x9”, 8x8”, 7x11”, or similar baking pan (~2 liter baking pan).
4

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat with vegan butter (2 tsp) and 3 tsp neutral-flavored high-heat oil (2 to). Heat for about minutes (3), swirling the skillet occasionally, until the foaming subsides.
5

When the pan is almost done heating up, add bread (2 slices) to the [batter]. Use your hands to swirl the [bread] around in the [batter] but don’t completely dunk them. For freshly baked soft white bread AND ¾” (2 cm) sandwich bread slices: Soak for seconds (30) on one side, then turn and soak the second side for seconds (30), or until saturated but not falling apart (60 seconds total). For sandwich bread slices thinner than ¾”: Soak for seconds (20) on one side, then turn and soak the second side for seconds (20), or until saturated but not falling apart (40 seconds total).
6

Use a slotted spatula to transfer battered slices to the hot pan, leaving behind excess batter. Don’t push the [bread] around in the pan. Cook until golden brown on the bottom, 4 minutes (3 to), swirling the pan occasionally so the butter/oil soaks into the bottom of the [bread]. When golden brown on the bottom, flip. Cook until the second side is golden brown, 4 minutes (3 to). If the toast is cooking too quickly, reduce the heat to medium-low. After the second batch, I typically reduce the heat to somewhere between medium and medium-low.
7

Transfer cooked French toast to the wire rack-fitted pan in the oven to stay warm. Wipe the pan between batches to ensure the butter doesn’t burn. Repeat with the remaining slices, adding more [vegan butter]/[neutral-flavored high-heat oil] to have a light coating in the pan.
8

Serve French toast warm with a pat of [vegan butter], if desired, and drizzle with [pure maple syrup].