Anyone who at least once correctly prepared a loaf in an egg according to a recipe with milk could not refuse to try this dish again. The combination of simplicity of the recipe, the availability of ingredients and the minimum time spent on cooking, plus excellent taste - is this not an indicator of an ideal dish? “Just croutons?” - Some grunted in disbelief. But sometimes you just have to try to believe that the simple can also be great.
Croutons - greetings from childhood
That is what the soaked loaf in milk with egg and sugar is called, fried in a pan until golden brown. Croutons are the smell and taste of childhood, when in the morning in front of the school, mother hurriedly cooked breakfast, being late for work. The same dish (except for fried potatoes) was the first of many in their culinary exploits at that very young age.
Unfortunately, a fried loaf with egg and milk has a high calorie content of about 400 calories, so you should not abuse this dish, since there is no way to reduce the energy value by replacing some products with other, less high-calorie ones. If you use options with cheese and other additives, it is worth remembering that everything you eat will have to be double worked out in the gym.
Recommendations and advice from an experienced chef
A baton in an egg with milk does not require special proportions, but something needs to be known.
- The most delicious croutons are obtained, for which an equal proportion of milk and eggs is used. Then the milk is well absorbed into the bread crumb, and a sufficient number of eggs makes it golden and crisp.
- If the amount of milk is in a ratio of 2: 1, then the color of the croutons will be pale, and they will also absorb more butter, which will be fried.
- If you use only eggs, as some people sometimes do, then inside the loaf in an egg without milk it will be dry, which means that the taste will decrease significantly.
- Before placing slices of bread in a pan, it is very important to warm it well, otherwise the loaf will absorb oil and the dish will be of poor quality. Also, in the process of roasting, it is necessary to adjust the fire of the stove so that the oil does not boil too much, because croutons can burn in a matter of seconds.
- Some chefs advise adding sugar to the egg-milk mixture, but this is unnecessary: the calorie content of the dish is already quite high and there is no need to increase it even more. Taste qualities do not suffer from this, because sugar is used when sprinkling an already finished product.
The most common recipe
For an optimal recipe for a crouton from a loaf with an egg and milk, for every six slices of a regular loaf you will need:
- Two eggs.
- 6-8 Art. l milk.
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar for sprinkling finished products. You can add vanilla sugar to it if you want a brighter flavor.
- 2-3 tbsp. l vegetable oil for frying.
Step cooking
Beat eggs and milk in a wide cup to a uniform consistency, cut the loaf into slices 1-1.5 cm thick. Thinner will not taste good, and thicker - the bread will not bake efficiently and will be slimy to taste. The pan is better to use with a thick bottom, if there is an old cast iron - great, it is worth using it. It is necessary to warm the pan and pour oil into it.
Dip the slices from the loaf into the egg with milk, each piece should lie in the liquid for about ten seconds to absorb it a little. Next, you need to lay out the slices of the loaf in a pan and fry until rosy, turning in the process on the other side. Put the prepared croutons on a paper towel, slightly free of excess fat, and then sprinkle with sugar. This is important to do while the fried pieces are still hot, then the sugar will melt a little and soak into the bread, making it even tastier.
Cheese croutons
For those who do not eat granulated sugar, and generally prefer a loaf of milk and egg (in a pan) in a more significant perspective, there is an interesting recipe with cheese. The amount of ingredients is designed for croutons for the whole family, so if you cook exclusively for yourself, the proportions need to be halved.
Necessary:
- one loaf without pinks (rounded edges of a loaf);
- 4 eggs;
- incomplete glass of milk;
- 200 grams of cheese.
In order to prepare this option of croutons, you must first cut the loaf into slices of standard thickness, grate the cheese on a fine grater and beat the eggs with milk in a wide bowl using a whisk or fork. Further, while the frying pan is warming up with oil, soak the slices of bread in the egg-milk mixture, turning them over so that they are evenly saturated on all sides. Spread the loaf in the pan a short distance from each other. When one side is browned, turn with a fork on the other side, and sprinkle the toasted top with plenty of grated cheese, trying not to get to the bottom of the dishes. Cover the pan for 1-2 minutes. Take out the finished croutons on a paper towel and serve still hot.
You can also do it differently: when ready toasted bread will be removed from the fire, put them in two, with the cheese side to each other. Under the influence of heat, the cheese will remain molten and viscous for a long time, which children really like. They will gladly eat not only the usual portion, but also ask for supplements.
With garlic and herbs
According to a similar principle, you can cook a loaf in an egg with milk and cheese, while flavoring it with fragrant garlic. Such a dish can become a light dinner or a hearty snack during a busy day, because it is quite satisfying and very tasty, despite the simplicity of the components.
List of necessary ingredients for two servings of toast (6-8 pcs.):
- three eggs;
- one hundred grams of milk and sour cream (you can also use cream);
- 200 grams of cheese;
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed in the press;
- large pinch of black pepper;
- 2-3 tbsp. tablespoons of vegetable oil;
- a small bunch of herbs, a mixture of parsley and dill.
How to cook?
Beat eggs with garlic, sour cream and pepper until smooth, add milk and again actively work with a whisk, bringing the mixture to a uniform consistency. Grate hard cheese on a coarse grater, and rinse greens under running water, dry between two layers of a paper towel and finely chop. Soak the slices of the loaf in an egg mixture, and then put on a heated frying pan with oil, fry until golden brown and transfer to paper to remove unnecessary residual fat. Then spread the croutons on a baking sheet, sprinkle with cheese and herbs abundantly and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes, so that the cheese begins to melt. A stunning garlic flavor will notify all households that delicious croutons are ready.
For those who are ready for extreme options, there is an addition: before sprinkling the fried slices of the loaf with cheese, put on each slice of ham or a good sausage, sliced in circles, on top of a ring of fresh tomato, and only then sprinkle with ingredients necessary for the recipe. Bake in the oven for the same amount of time at a temperature of 220-230 degrees. Children call such croutons with garlic “small pizza” and can even cook this dish on their own if the parents are late.
Baked in the oven
Here is another unconventional idea on how to make an egg and milk loaf.
- Using standard proportions of the ingredients, cut the loaf, soak it for three minutes in a whipped egg-milk mixture, and then put it in a baking dish (it must be greased with butter beforehand), spread in layers. At the same time, try to keep as little as possible empty space between the pieces.
- Then beat two eggs with 1/2 cup of milk, add a pinch of vanilla and one tbsp. a spoonful of powdered sugar. Pour slices of the loaf in the mold with the mixture and sprinkle with sugar on top. When it melts under the influence of heat, it will turn the top of the crouton into a delicious and sweet crust.
- Bake croutons in the oven until deep golden color and serve with fresh milk or aromatic herbal tea. They say that this type of breakfast was popular in the old days in England, it is he who is the prototype of modern charlotte.