You Should Toast Your Cinnamon Toast
Cinnamon toast is one of those classics that is hard to improve on. It has bread, butter, sugar and cinnamon – what more do you need? Well, according to Jennifer Garner, you need some warmth.
In a very adorable Instagram video with the hashtag “#PretendCookingShow”, Garner shows off his culinary skills by toasting cinnamon toast in a cast iron skillet to create a crispy, chewy, almost brulée version of the usually freshly toasted and sweetened children’s classic. In short, this is a very good and skillful maneuver.
I didn’t follow Garner’s method exactly, although you certainly can. (However, I used her ratio: 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.) Instead of buttering only one side of the bread, I buttered and sugared both sides, then toasted the bread in a non-stick pan (cast iron works fine too). ). ) over medium heat, turning a couple of times and adding a little more butter and cinnamon-sugar each time you turn. Once the bread was crisp enough to appear tough when rolled around in the pan, I transferred it to a plate and sprinkled with more cinnamon and sugar.
It was one of the best toasts I have ever had the pleasure of chewing. The butter has soaked into the bread and the sugar has caramelized to form a sweet and chewy outer layer. The cinnamon, the same cinnamon that Cinnabon uses , has been toasted for a deeper, warmer flavor profile. Finally, another pinch of raw sugared cinnamon added an extra clean sweetness, making the treat complex, warm and inviting.
Whether you’re following Garner’s instructions exactly, or experimenting and adding your own ideas, I recommend using a non-stick skillet or a well seasoned cast iron skillet and unsalted butter with a pinch of salt in cinnamon sugar. (I used salted butter for mine and it was a bit too salty, which I don’t usually complain about.) I also recommend buttering the bread instead of the pan to maximize the sugar contact with the bread (and thus your enjoyment).