Classic French Toast Recipe (with Video)

For classic French toast
1. Start by cutting your bread of choice into thick slices. Place onto a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Leave out overnight uncovered, or preheat the oven to its lowest temperature and place the bread in for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Either way, your bread should be nice and dry.
2. For the classic custard, in a large bowl combine 1 ½ cups of whole milk, 2 large eggs, 3-4 tablespoons of granulated white sugar, 1-2 teaspoons of real vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon each of ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk together until combined and no streaks of egg remain.
3. For fancy french toast custard, in a large bowl combine 1 ½ cups of half & half or heavy cream, 3-4 egg yolks, 3-4 tablespoons of dark brown sugar, 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla paste or one scraped vanilla bean, ½ teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg, the zest of a lemon or orange, and a splash of either bourbon, rum, or brandy. Whisk together until fully combined.
4. Once the custard is ready, pour it into a cake pan or pie plate. Grab a piece of thickly cut bread and drop it into the custard, letting it sit for 20-30 seconds on each side.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of melted butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the soaked bread to the skillet and let the bread fry for 3-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
6. Place onto a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet in a 350°F oven while you cook all of the pieces.
7. Once every piece of toast is complete, stack on a plate, topped with butter and maple syrup.
8. For a tangy butter for the chocolate babka, whip together 8 ounces of room temperature cream cheese with 3 tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of salt.