Pain perdu
French toast
French 'lost bread': stale bread soaked in sweet custard and fried in butter
Pain perdu means 'lost bread', and French families have always made it from the end of a stale baguette or brioche that would otherwise be thrown away. Thick slices are soaked in milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla, then fried in butter until caramelised outside and soft, almost like custard, inside. In France it is more often a Sunday breakfast or goûter for the children than a brunch dish, eaten with a dusting of sugar, jam or fresh fruit. Chef's tip: use bread that is a day or two old; fresh bread is the common mistake and turns soggy and falls apart in the custard.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 8 slices stale brioche or baguette2 cm thick
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 ⅜ oz butter
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 5 ½ oz fresh berries (optional)to serve
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Whisk 3 eggs, 1 cup milk, 2 tbsp caster sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract and ¼ tsp ground cinnamon in a wide, shallow dish.
Step 2: Lay in the slices of 8 slices stale brioche or baguette and soak for 30 seconds per side for brioche or 1 minute per side for baguette, until soft but not falling apart.
Step 3: Melt half of 1 ⅜ oz butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat until it foams. Add half the bread and sprinkle the tops with half of 2 tbsp caster sugar.
Step 4: Fry for 2–3 minutes per side, until deep golden and caramelised and the middle feels springy, not wet. Keep warm and repeat with the rest.
12 minStep 5: Serve hot with 5 ½ oz fresh berries.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 39 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pain perdu take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
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