Do you eat french toast with syrup?

Quick Answers

French toast is most commonly served with some kind of syrup, usually maple syrup. While french toast can be eaten without syrup, the sweet syrup provides a nice complement to the custard-like interior and crisp exterior of properly made french toast.

Intro

French toast is a breakfast dish consisting of sliced bread that is dipped in a milk-egg mixture and then pan fried until golden brown. The rich custard coating gives the toast a luxurious texture inside and out. French toast is usually served dusted with powdered sugar or maple syrup, providing a sweet counterpart to the eggy bread.

But do you really need syrup with french toast? Can you enjoy this breakfast treat just as much without pouring on the maple-flavored goodness? Let’s take a closer look at the history of french toast, the science behind why we love syrup, and whether syrup is an essential accompaniment.

A Brief History of French Toast

The origins of what we now call French toast are centuries old. Recipes for eggy, fried bread appear in ancient Roman cookbooks dating all the way back to the 4th century A.D. In the Middle Ages, European cooks soaked thick slices of stale bread in a mixture of milk, eggs, and spices and then fried it in butter or oil over the fire. This technique helped revive old bread that had gone hard.

Over the years, various European cultures developed their own versions of eggy fried bread, calling it German toast, Spanish toast, and French toast. The name “French toast” became most popular in America in the late 1800s. Some speculate this is due to anti-German sentiment during World War I. But the name likely originates from a common method of preparing the dish with French bread.

No matter what it’s called, eggy fried bread was historically seen as an inexpensive dish using up leftover bread. Sugar and syrup were expensive commodities, so early recipes did not include adding sweet toppings. However, once maple syrup became more affordable and accessible in the 1900s, drizzling or dunking French toast in syrup quickly became standard practice.

The Science of Sweetness

Why does almost every modern French toast recipe include maple syrup or another sweet topping like fruit compote or powdered sugar? The answer lies in human biology.

Humans are genetically predisposed to crave and enjoy sweet flavors. Our tongues have taste receptors specifically designed to detect sucrose and other sugars. When sugar hits these receptors, it triggers the release of dopamine in the brain’s reward pathways. This makes us feel happy and gives us pleasure. Additionally, the sweet taste signals to our brains that a food is high in calories and provides energy.

Research shows that babies as young as a few days old already show a preference for sweet flavors over bitter ones. The desire for sweetness remains strong throughout childhood. Some scientists speculate this evolutionary advantage of craving sweet helped early humans identify energy-dense ripe fruits and honey.

While seeking out sweets was advantageous for hunter-gatherer ancestors, in today’s world of processed sugars it contributes to overeating and obesity. Still, the instinctive urge for sweetness is hard to resist. Adding maple syrup, jam, or chocolate sauce takes an already delicious French toast and amplifies its palatability.

Maple Syrup Magic

Maple syrup is the most ubiquitous syrup topping found with French toast on North American breakfast tables. Maple syrup offers more than just sweetness. The rich maple flavor is an iconic taste of autumn.

Maple syrup is made from the sap of maple trees, primarily the sugar maple. Native Americans were the first to discover that boiling down sap produces a sweet syrup. Today, Canada produces over 70% of the world’s maple syrup, with Quebec being the largest producer.

Making real maple syrup is a labor-intensive process. It can take 40 gallons of maple sap to make just 1 gallon of syrup. This concentration of sugars gives maple syrup a complex flavor with caramel notes.

Maple syrup contains beneficial antioxidants like phenols and unique phytonutrients like quebecol. Molasses-like blackstrap maple syrup has even higher antioxidant levels. The presence of compounds like zinc and manganese also give maple syrup nutritional advantages over plain white sugar.

Maple Syrup Grades

Maple syrup is divided into grades based on color and flavor:

  • Golden/Delicate Taste – Light color and mild maple flavor
  • Amber/Rich Taste – Medium amber color and stronger maple flavor
  • Dark/Robust Taste – Dark color and more intense maple flavor
  • Very Dark/Strong Taste – Very dark color and robust maple flavor

The darker grades of maple syrup have higher mineral content because the sap is boiled longer, increasing concentration. Many maple syrup connoisseurs prefer the complex flavor of Grade B dark amber syrup.

Maple Syrup Production

Maple syrup season lasts just 4-8 weeks in early spring when freezing nights below freezing followed by mild days above freezing creates sap flow in sugar maple trees. Sugarmakers drill taps into maple trees, connect buckets or tubing to collect the sap, then boil down around 40 gallons of thin, watery sap to make 1 gallon of syrup.

As maple sap boils, water evaporates off until the sucrose concentration reaches around 66%. This is the temperature at which heated sap becomes thick, sticky syrup that can be filtered, graded, and bottled. The entire process must be carefully monitored to produce the desired color, sugar content, and flavor.

Other Sweet Toppings

While maple syrup may be the favorite, French toast can be topped with all kinds of sweet accompaniments beyond just syrup. Here are some other delicious sweet topping ideas:

Fruit Compotes

Warm fruit compotes made with berries or stone fruits like peaches or plums can provide a fresh-tasting, fiber-rich alternative to syrup. Try topping French toast with strawberry, blueberry, or mixed berry compote.

Jams and Preserves

Swap syrup for your favorite fruit jam, jelly, or preserve. Berry jams, orange marmalade, and cherry preserves pair nicely with French toast flavors.

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

For a decadent treat, try spreading chocolate-hazelnut spread like Nutella between slices of French toast. The chocolate-nutty combo is heavenly.

Bananas and Nut Butters

Sliced bananas and a drizzle of peanut butter or almond butter can turn French toast into an Elvis-approved dish. The banana sweetness with nutty creaminess is hard to beat.

Crunchy Toppers

Sprinkling powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, crushed nuts or granola, or streusel topping on French toast adds sweet crunch.

Whipped Cream and Icing

For an extra creamy treat, top French toast with fluffy whipped cream, vanilla glaze, or cream cheese icing sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Should You Eat French Toast Without Syrup?

Well-made French toast certainly can be enjoyed on its own without any syrup or sugar topping. A quality French toast recipe will yield bread with a crispy fried exterior yet soft, custardy interior. This combination of textures provides plenty of flavor.

However, the sweet contrast of syrup or another topping really balances out the egg-soaked bread. Just a modest drizzle is all you need. The bit of sweetness elevates French toast from a tasty dish to a sublime breakfast indulgence.

If you are avoiding sugar for dietary reasons, fruit-based toppings provide a healthy way to add sweetness. Compotes, jam, and fresh banana slices with peanut butter are all smart alternatives to pouring on syrup.

Low-Sugar French Toast Ideas

  • Fresh berries
  • Sliced peaches or plums
  • Sliced banana with peanut butter
  • Orange slices dusted with cinnamon
  • Vanilla Greek yogurt with orange zest

While syrup is traditional, feel free to get creative with toppings to suit your taste and dietary needs. A small amount of sweetness pairs perfectly with the custardy flavor of French toast.

How to Make French Toast

Ready to whip up a batch of crispy, decadent French toast? Follow these tips for perfect French toast every time:

Ingredients

  • Bread – French bread works great but challah, brioche and stale bread all make excellent French toast too.
  • Eggs – Use 2-3 eggs per 1/2 pound of bread. Crack eggs into shallow dish.
  • Milk – For a rich coating, use equal parts milk and eggs (1/4 cup each per egg used).
  • Cinnamon – Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon for warmth.
  • Vanilla – A dash of vanilla extract enhances flavor.
  • Pinch of salt
  • Butter – For cooking the soaked bread slices.

Directions

  1. Whisk eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla and salt together in shallow dish until blended.
  2. Soak bread slices in egg mixture until well-coated on both sides.
  3. Melt butter on large skillet or griddle over medium heat.
  4. Cook soaked bread slices until browned on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
  5. Slice French toast diagonally and serve warm with desired toppings.

Tips

  • Let the French toast cool slightly before adding syrup so it absorbs better.
  • Store leftover French toast in the fridge and reheat in toaster oven until hot and crispy.
  • Add a dash of nutmeg or cloves to the egg mixture for extra flavor.
  • Use thick slices of bread to achieve both custardy interior and crispy exterior.

The Verdict on Syrup and French Toast

While not strictly necessary, syrup is certainly the standard condiment paired with French toast. A touch of sweetness from maple syrup, fruit compote, chocolate-hazelnut spread or another topping perfectly complements the savory richness of French toast custard.

Syrup and French toast just seem to go hand in hand. The flavors, history and nostalgia are strongly connected. Yet you can also top your French toast with sliced fruit, yogurt, nut butter, or other alternatives if watching sugar intake.

At the end of the day, enjoy your French toast however you like it – with syrup, without syrup, or with another creative sweet topping. This versatile breakfast dish can be customized to satisfy any taste or dietary need. Just don’t forget the powdered sugar for dusting on top!

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