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If you’ve been depriving your taste buds of French toasts simply because you’re vegetarian, vegan or allergic to eggs, it’s safe to say you’ve been mixing out! Because there’s an easy way to make perfectly fluffy and delicious French toast without eggs as long as you have one basic ingredient in your kitchen. And that ingredient is, cornstarch!
Eggs serve as a binding agent in traditional French toast recipes, helping to hold the bread together and creating a cohesive structure. However, eggs are a common allergen for many people, making traditional French toast inaccessible to those with dietary restrictions or preferences. But in eggless versions, cornstarch steps in to fulfill this role. Cornstarch, when mixed with liquid, forms a thick paste that acts as a binder, helping to adhere the bread crumbs to the bread slices. This ensures that the French toast maintains its shape and doesn't fall apart during cooking.
Enhancing Texture And Mouthfeel
A classic French toast has a lightly crispy coating. Cornstarch contributes to the texture of the eggless French toast by adding a light and crisp coating to the exterior. When combined with other dry ingredients such as flour or breadcrumbs, cornstarch forms a thin layer on the surface of the bread slices when cooked. This layer becomes golden and crispy, providing a satisfying crunch with each bite. Without cornstarch, eggless French toast may lack this desirable texture, resulting in a softer and less appealing mouthfeel.
One of the challenges of making eggless French toast is ensuring that the bread stays moist and tender without the presence of eggs. Cornstarch helps to address this issue by retaining moisture during cooking. When mixed with liquid ingredients such as milk or plant-based milk alternatives, cornstarch forms a gel-like consistency that coats the bread slices. This coating acts as a barrier, preventing moisture loss and helping to keep the French toast moist and fluffy on the inside.
Depending on how dense and air you want your French toast, you can adjust the amount of cornstarch used to achieve the level of thickness and crispiness. Additionally, cornstarch can be combined with other ingredients such as flour, baking powder, or spices to create variations of the batter mixture, adding depth of flavour.
So how to make eggless French toast?
Making eggless French toast with cornstarch is quite simple! Use a tablespoon of cornstarch for each egg you would be needing. It’s best to mix in the cornstarch with a pinch of cinnamon and vanilla, especially if you want a sweeter base. Dip in your bread (possible brioche, if not, a soft brown or white bread with a thin crust) and cook it on the skillet. You’ll see that the cornstarch helps the milk coat the bread, leading to the perfect crispy edges. Make sure that you don’t soak your bread for too long so the French toast doesn't fall apart or become too soggy.
