French Toast, or ‘pain perdu’ (‘lost bread’ in French) is a quick, easy and deliciously fluffy breakfast to throw together! Only three basic ingredients are really required: toast bread, milk and eggs (things almost everyone has in their kitchen) - though I have included a few extras. It can then be topped with a dollop of butter, fruit, a sprinkling of powdered sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup. It definitely makes the often difficult process of waking up early in the morning that much easier!
Said to have originated from ancient Roman times (they called it ‘pan dulcis’ or ‘sweet bread’), French toast, also known as ‘Spanish Bread’, ‘Eggy Bread’, ‘Poor Knights of Windsor’, ‘German Toast’ and ‘Gypsy Bread’ amongst others, is now enjoyed widely across western countries, as well as having penetrated the Asian continent, appearing on many breakfast menus.
In Hong Kong’s fantastic tea houses (chah chan teng), delicious thick crispy French toast, filled with jam or peanut butter, and topped with butter and condensed milk are served. 🤤 I have very fond memories of eating them while sipping on a rich and caffeine-packed Hong Kong-style milk tea.
Those were the days where my metabolism was working at full speed, and enjoying these delights had little to almost no impact on my waist line… Alas, those days are long behind me, and so I pass on this tradition of binging on fluffy eggy toast to my beloved children. 🥳
French toast can actually be eaten as a sweet or savoury snack. In Britain, it is often accompanied by ketchup when served as a savoury dish. Originally made using stale leftover bread to avoid wastage, this now common breakfast treat is served in various ways from using my all time favourite brioche toast as it’s base, to stuffing them with seasonal fruits and cream cheese frosting… or dipping them in milk and egg with the addition of pumpkin purée and autumn spices, or even chai flavoured ones! The possibilities and ideas are endless!
Whatever the choice may be, the classic French Toast is at the top of my children’s list of favourite breakfast dishes! It was indeed one of my favourites too, but I only liked the way my mother made it, which is how I continue to make it today - and it’s the only was my children like it too! 😊
Soaking the toast slices in the milk-egg mixture for a considerable amount of time while pressing down on it gently with a fork, to the point of almost falling apart, then placing it in the pan with my two hands and allowing it to slowly develop a slightly browned exterior is how I like to prepare my French toast. It almost has a bread pudding / soufflé-like texture and literally melts in your mouth.
Allons-y! Let’s get cooking!
Recipe: serves 1
INGREDIENTS:
100 ml milk
1 large egg
1/4 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp sugar
Pinch of salt
Butter for pan
Maple syrup
Fruit of choice
METHOD:
- Beat milk and egg together in a flat-bottomed shallow bowl. Add sugar, salt and vanilla essence. Mix well.
- Heat a pan over medium heat and add a teaspoon of butter allowing it to melt.
- Lay a slice of toast down in the mixture, and using the back of a fork, gently press down on the toast (particularly around the crust) for around 1 minute until it has almost soaked up all the liquid. It should be on the brink of almost falling apart, but not yet there.
5. Gently lift the toast with your two hands and place it in the pan, being careful not to burn your hands. Decrease the heat to low and Cover the pan for around 1.5 minutes, before flipping over the toast and cooking again for 1.5 minutes on the other side. 
- Remove from pan, and serve hot, topped with butter, fruit and/or maple syrup.
Bon Appétit! En Guete! Guten Appetit! Buon Appetito! Itadakimasu!
Gastronomically yours,
💖Pia
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