Toast comes either from Latin tostus which means dried or from Latin torrere which means to burn. The many different ingredients have varying smoke points and thence create a variety of flavours when exposed to heat. In this instructable I will show you how to make a tasty loaf of toast yourself and how to turn slices of it into a wonderful breakfast.

Step 1: Ingredients:

Ingredients:

180 grams wheat all-purpose flour (6.5 oz)
60 grams wheat pastry flour (2 oz)
25 grams sourdough (0.9 oz)
20 grams butter (0.7 oz)
10 grams baker's yeast (0.4 oz)
60 ml milk (o.25 cups)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon treacle
1 egg yolk
1 cup water

Equipment:

Loaf pan (box shaped ca. 24cm)
Silicon mat
Kitchen scale
Dish cloths
Skewer
Tools

Step 2: Flour:

There are 2 types of flour used, all-purpose flour and pastry flour. The flours I used are type 550 and type 450, defined by a German typisation of trace element content. English flour is typecasted by protein content.

A wheat kernel consists of the endosperm which is full of carbs, the germ which has the highest content of proteins and fat, while the bran is full of fibers and minerals. The different flours are mixtures from these 3 components and have different baking properties and characteristics. Type 450 or pastry flour is made solely of the endosperm while type 550 or all-purpose flour has parts of the germ and bran added, which gives it a slightly shorter shelf life but more nutrition.

Instead of treacle I use agave nectar, which is sweeter than honey but more liquid and the high fructose reduces the glycemic index.

Step 3: Tools:

Always have the tools you need before you need them. You should already prepare a dough scraper, a spoon and a table knife. For the sourdough you need a spoon that is not made of metal to prevent the oligodynamic effect to happen. Especially if you want to keep the sourdough alive and only take a bit for your toast. If you need to make the sourdough from scratch, have a look at this instructable. Another tool needed would be a skewer, to see if the dough sticks to it when the baking time has elapsed.

Step 4: Pre-dough

First we need a mother dough. Mix the 60 grams wheat pastry flour with half of the yeast (5 grams) and 3 tablespoons of lukewarm water (30ml). Knead into a little ball and cover with a dish cloth for 1 hour.

Step 5: Proofing:

After 1 hour we lift the dish cloth and add the rest of the recipe. Another 30ml of water (3 tablespoons) with 5 grams of baker's yeast, 180 grams of all-purpose flour (6.5 oz), 25 grams sourdough (0.9 oz), 20 grams butter (0.7 oz), 60 ml milk (0.25 cups or 6 tablespoons), 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon treacle and 1 egg yolk. Mix with a kitchen machine for at least 10 minutes.

Step 6: Leavening:

When the dough has been mixed, cover it with a dish cloth for another 2 hours. Before the time is up you should already grease the loaf pan.

Step 7: Shaping:

When the dough has rested it should have increased in size. Place it on a floured working place and twist to an oblong shape. Either you make one long strand twice the size of your loaf pan or you separate the dough into 2 equally sized parts the length of your loaf pan. Twirl the dough into one big strand.

Step 8: Fitting:

Put the dough in the greased loaf pan, cover it with a dish cloth and let it rest for another hour. Before the time is up preheat your stove to 240°C (465°F). The twirled dough needs no scoring.

Step 9: Baking:

When 1 hour has passed and the stove has the right temperature (240°C/ 465°F), prepare a cup with water. Place the pan with the loaf on the tray, slide into the stove and pour the water on the hearth. Then turn the heat down to 200°C (390°F) and bake for 40 minutes.

Step 10: Done?

When 35 minutes have elapsed, test the loaf with a skewer. Stick it right into the top of the bread. If the dough clings to the skewer and gets pulled out, it needs the full time of 40 minutes. If just some crumbs stick to it, it is fine.

Step 11: Done!

Take the loaf out. If you want, you can immediately brush the top with some water to make it shiny. The loaf had a weight of 384 grams.

Step 12: Cool.

Take it out of the pan and let it cool down on a baking rack. Or use it right away for your breakfast.

Step 13: Degustation:

The bread has the typical toast flavour and even more. The pores are small and no spread will fall into big holes. The crumb is not too dry but probably good at soaking fluid.

Step 14: Butter or Margarine?

It takes 25 liters of milk to make 1 kilogramm of butter. Around 80% of the butter is fat, half saturated and half monounsaturated fat acids, a few polyunsaturated. During the processing all vitamins A, D, E, K remain intact. But in margarine on the other hand, all vitamins are destroyed when spreadability is achieved. They have to be added again afterwards; including the yellow colour with beta-carotene. Both butter and margarine have a similar energy value, but as you can see in the picture, the layer of the margarine is thinner and has therefor usually less calories. All in all no product excels too much to be the one of choice, buy quality products you trust and everything should be fine. Unless you have problems with cholesterol, then your doc will probably advice you to take margarine.

Step 15: Topping:

Which topping is the best in the morning? Jam contains a lot of sugar and is counterproductive for a breakfast. Your blood sugar level will rise very high because your body already gave you a lot when you woke up. Try to avoid jam for early breakfasts. For an easy 1 step jam made from rose petals for a romantic sunday breakfast in your bed have a look at this instructable.

Better use peanut butter or cold cuts with low fat. Proteins, vitamines and many minerals you will need throughout the day before you get to dinner.

Step 16: Let's Toast!

Since I don't have a toaster (anymore) I use a grill pan for some of the toasts. More toast at the same time with total control about the browning. Just don't heat the pan too fast or the enamel might break.

Step 17: Texas Toast:

The Texas toast has to be twice as thick as usual. Not because everything is bigger in Texas, but this way it is easier to turn it around just with your fingers. Spread butter on both sides.

Step 18: Texas Toast 2

Fry in a pan, preferably in a grill pan for tasty stripes. The butter has a low smoke point, so turn it around every minute. This way the butter sweats into the crumb and not too much on the pan. Serve as sandwich or with cheese.

Enjoy your Texas Toast!

Step 19: Egg in the Basket:

Eggs with the bread with the hole in the middle, a la me! is the name given by the great actor Joey Tribbiani of the well known soap opera Days of our lives, to a dish that is mostly famous because of TV. Take the crumb out of a slice of toast.

Step 20: Egg in the Basket 2

Put both into a pan and break an egg into the crumb.

Step 21: Egg in the Basket 3

Turn it around when you think the egg is stiff. Serve when both sides are browned. A wonderful breakfast to start the day!

How you doin'?

Step 22: Toast Hawaii

In the year 1955 a German TV cook presented the Toast Hawaii to his audience. It was the period of the Wirtschaftswunder, while the mentality of the people was stuck in the post-war depression. The exotic recipes of this TV cook delivered delight for Wanderlust to the German people. The recipe was unknown to the people of Hawaii though, until they were introduced to the pizza Hawaii which was allegedly "invented" by a canadian restaurant owner in 1962.

The recipe is simple, a toast with ham and pineapple au gratin, after baking decorated either with maraschino cherry or cowberry. Sometimes people add ground sweet paprika or mayonnaise.

The pineapple needs to be between the ham and cheese, to enable the tenderizing of both by the enzyme bromelain. If you have the time, let the toast rest for 1 hour before the baking for a very tasty toast (or put it in the fridge overnight for your breakfast). When cutting the pineapple, don't expose your hands too long to the juice, the protein-digesting bromelain can actually eat your fingerprints away (hint!). Bake 20 minutes at 200°C (390°F).

Step 23: Fruit Toast:

A colourful breakfast that has it all in one:

Ingredients:

1 slice of toast
100 grams cream cheese
1 nectarine (or peach)
1 teaspoon of honey
1 bunch of watercress
1 vanilla pod

Step 24: Preparation:

Preheat your stove to 180°C (360°F). Cut the pulp of the nectarine from the clingstone, preferably in slices. Mix half of the vanilla pod's inside with the cream cheese.

Step 25: Baking/Toasting:

Place the nectarine slices on a baking mat and drizzle with honey. When the stove has reached 180°C (360°F), bake the slices for 20 minutes. Meanwhile brown the toast slices in a pan. Again, not too much, we don't want black spots.

Step 26: Finish:

Spread the vanilla cream cheese on the browned toast and place the honey-nectarine slices, strew some watercress on top.

Enjoy your Fruit Toast!

Step 27: Can We Get More?

The loaf was a bit too small for a sandwich so I doubled all the measurements for the ingredients. Except for the egg yolk. From experience I used 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk instead of 2 egg yolks.

Ingredients:

360 grams wheat all-purpose flour (13 oz)
120 grams wheat pastry flour (4 oz)
50 grams sourdough (2 oz)
40 grams butter (1.5 oz)
20 grams baker's yeast (0.8 oz)
120 ml milk (0.5 cups)
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoon treacle
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 cup water

Baking time was the same, the loaf pan was 26 cm and the loaf had a weight of 845 grams.

Step 28: Brushing:

If you treat your bread with a pastry brush with some water right when you open the door of your stove and pull the tray out, then you can get some very shiny crusts on your bread.

Step 29: Poor Knights:

Poor Knights is the original name of the French Toast. It was first written down in a collection of ancient roman recipes De re coquinaria by Apicius whose lose description has led to a wide variety. In the 14th century it was mentioned in the Buoch von guoter spîse as Arme Ritter and then in the 17th century in the Compleat Cook as Poor Knights. In the USA it became known as German Toast, until the Great War led to many resentments and it was called French Toast. For a short period in the 21st century it was then even renamed to Freedom Toast.

Stale bread is soaked in milk, then coated in beaten eggs and sugar. To make it a German Toast you mix the milk with the whisked eggs and add salt, then soak the bread. Now in this variant the toast represents the shape of a shield and cinnamon the rust, thence the name poor knights.

Pars:

1 slice of toast
1 egg
40 ml milk
1 knife point of cinnamon

If you bake the toast in a stove then preheat it to 200°C (390°F).

Step 30: Poor Knights 2

Soak the bread in the milk and flavour it with some cinnamon. If it is a bit stale but not too dry to break then it has the best absorbability. Lay the bread on a plate with an egg like in picture 3. Of course not, you want to beat the egg like in picture 4. If you lay the bread into one egg it will not soak up everything, you can pour the rest over the toast when you fry it in a pan. Or you just take a secound toast like I did.

Step 31: Poor Knights 3

Put the toast(s) in a greased casserole. The egg mixture might drive out the grease, but it should be still easy to clean afterwards. You can prevent this if you scatter some breadcrumbs in the grease. Bake for 20 minutes at 200°C (390°F) and let cool down a bit before you serve.

Enjoy your Poor Knights!

Step 32: Pa Amb Tomàquet

My friend Anna is from Catalonia and once served us Pa amb tomàquet. This delicious dish can be served at any time of the day. Usually they are served with a tomato variety called tomate de colgar, if that is not available you should cut the skin of your tomatoes and boil them until the skin bursts.

Ingredients:

1 slice of bread
1 clove of garlic
1 small tomato
1 teaspoon of olive oil

Step 33: Pa Amb Tomàquet 2

Grate the garlic on the bread. It is actually pretty easy and generates a pleasantly fresh smell. Then pick a boiled tomato and grind it into the bread until you got only the skin left in your fingers. Sprinkle some olive oil on it and you are ready.

Enjoy your Pa Amb Tomàquet for a breakfast before going outdoors!

Step 34: Toast Water:

You got a hangover? Or you are sick and can't keep any food down? Try Toast Water.

Is it British? Of course my dear. The brits have a predilection to dissolve anything in hot water, nothing is illicit - they make even tea from beef. This quaint recipe was veritably used for invalids in the 19th century.

Paraphernalia:

Toast
Salt
Water

This reminds me of course of my piquant Bread Drink, which was made of browned and then fermented rye bread. So I wanted to test something out and did not brown the bread like described in the recipe, I just took the crumb of 2 bread ends. Boiled 1 liter of water, put a spoon into the heat resistant glass to reduce the stress and soaked the toast with some salt in the water. After 1 hour, sift the Toast Water and enjoy. Has a mild taste like toast and seems to be an appropiate drink for a sick person. To increase the flavour you can of course brown the bread like in picture 4.

Enjoy your breakfast with Toast Water!

Step 35: Toast Sundae:

For the recipe of the coconut icecream have a look at this instructable. I took 2 hollowed bread ends, filled them with a sliced fruit mix, some icecream made from coconut milk and sprinkled a colourful decoration on them. A healthy and romantic sunday morning breakfast!

Ingredients:

2 bread ends
100 grams sliced fruits
50 grams coconut milk icecream

Step 36: Political Toast:

"To the politician - a person who divides his time between running for office and running for cover - by playing golf."

English is not my first language and I hope everything was comprehensible and complete. If you have any questions or need help, feel free to ask in the comments. For posting a picture of your own toast creation I can give you a code for 3 months of premium while I have some left.

This is my entry in the breakfast challenge and if you like to support me, please click on the red VOTE! button in the top right. Thank you and have a nice day!