Baked French toast recipe pushes us a nudge higher than our usual easy French recipe motto, but it is still a very doable undertaking even for the non-cordon bleus amongst us, which is most of us.

However, be prepared to dazzle your taste buds and those of everyone at your dinner table because we have a couple of magic tricks for you on this recipe.

First, make sure you practice this recipe so that you can perfect it to your own liking. Second, the main trick is that baking is an art, and so your own individual touch has to show through once you decide to go ahead with it. That is why this simple recipe must be toyed with by adding a distinctive flavor to it.

A trick you will see most professional chefs use in French cuisine is the addition of wine or liqueur to their preparation. Especially in the case of pâtisserie, alcohol has an incredible flavoring effect, as you may have noticed with wonders such as baba au rhum, crêpe au Grand Marnier, and the likes.

So, that is what we will do here! You will add a couple of tablespoons of rhum, or Cointreau, or Grand Marnier to your baked French toast recipe, and watch out for the taste tango!

Ingredients:

Sliced bread (8 to 12 slices average). In France, brioche or stale bread is the usual choice
3 eggs
3 tablespoon of granulated sugar
Vanilla or cinnamon flavoring (optional)
2 cups of milk (in US, mix in 1/3 cup of half & half for a creamier mix - optional)
Butter

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Stand: 30 minutes
Total time: 60 minutes

Preheat the oven to 180º C (450º F).

Mix the eggs and sugar in a bowl, then stir in the milk, and your splash of rhum, or Cointreau, or Grand Marnier, etc.

Soak the bread turning the slices on each side until they have absorbed the liquid.

Butter a baking dish and place your slices on it.

Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes (or until the slices are golden to your liking). Serve warm.

There isn't a best time to enjoy French toast. It's great for breakfast, but also as a dessert, especially baked with a liqueur flavoring -sometimes even flambé- or as an afternoon snack, as well as an evening treat.