French Toast Is Ridiculously Good With A Splash Of Irish Whiskey

With its crunchy outside and soft center, French toast is one of those dishes that's simple to make, but feels like an indulgent treat. In its most basic form, it consists of thick slices of bread soaked in milk and eggs before being fried in hot butter, or baked in a casserole if you're feeling fancy. You can make your breakfast even classier by dressing up your French toast with various toppings and flavorings.

Beyond maple syrup and cinnamon, fresh berries or chopped toasted nuts can make this breakfast treat even better. But if you really want to take a classic French toast recipe to the next level, just add a splash of booze like Irish whiskey. This beloved drink envelops your fluffy French toast with warm, oaky, and sweet caramel flavors to make the rich custard-soaked bread extra luxurious. 

Using whiskey to enhance sweet recipes from cakes to ice cream is already a popular practice, and French toast is an easy way to taste the magic for yourself. Simply add a little Irish whiskey to the eggy custard mixture before dipping the bread in so that it can soak up all the rich flavors, then pan-fry for a simple but smashing breakfast.

Made with at least 50% malted barley, as well as regular barley, rye, or wheat, Irish whiskey is aged for at least three years and triple distilled to give it a rounded, balanced flavor. Because there's no peat used in the process, Irish whiskey does not have the smokiness you might find in some Scotch whiskies. Instead, it tends to taste lighter, with a smooth, fruity mellowness that makes it ideal for sweeter dishes such as French toast.

Since whiskey is a strong drink, both in terms of flavor and alcohol (Irish whiskey contains 40% ABV at the minimum), start by adding just a few tablespoons to your French toast egg mixture. See how you like the flavor, and when you make French toast again, you can use more or less whiskey according to your tastes.

Additionally, you don't need to spend a fortune on a bottle of superior whiskey that should be savored alone. You can always skip the top shelf when cooking with whiskey to save money and still get spectacular results. Use your favorite brand of affordable Irish whiskey, with flavors that you enjoy when drinking it, and you'll get that same taste in your French toast. Do bear in mind that not of all the alcohol will evaporate when cooking the toast, so you might want to save it for a weekend brunch treat, and only serve regular French toast to kids.

Irish whiskey isn't the only type of booze that can make French delicious. Other liquors can also bring a rich depth of flavor to the dish, and you ought to test out your favorites. If you're a fan of bourbon rather than Irish whiskey, try adding a splash into the custard mixture along with a tablespoon of vanilla extract for sweet, smoky, and aromatic notes. 

Rum is another spirit which works well in French toast, both in the custard blend and also as a topping. Try making a rum-infused maple syrup to drizzle over the finished dish, or heat some sliced bananas with butter, brown sugar, and rum for a tasty topping that's like a bananas Foster. You can also try soaking the bread in a custard spiked with brandy for a sweet, fruity twist.

If you'd rather lose the booze while still serving up a special plate of French toast, try adding half a cup of brewed coffee and some cinnamon to the egg mixture before soaking the bread. The final dish pairs great with your favorite cup of joe, and is even more delicious topped with whipped cream and toasted nuts. Or try mixing orange juice, heavy cream and vanilla into the egg mixture for a sweet, fruity twist.