Many of us learn how to make French toast at a young age. It’s a simple dish, and it gives many kids one of their earliest cooking experiences.

Sadly, many of us never reconsider that kid-friendly recipe we learned at the age of 6 or 7. We simply return to it whenever we need to create a quick and inexpensive breakfast. (Or lunch. Or dinner. Don’t judge.)

To make truly great French toast, however, you need to break some old habits – and treat the recipe as you would one for a less familiar dish. Sometimes practice doesn’t make perfect.