Weekend mornings were made for French Toast – the best thing since sliced bread! What better way to start the day after a lie-in. You may also know it as eggy bread, pain perdu, or the 'poor knights of Windsor'. In essence, it’s bread, often slightly stale, soaked in a mixture of milk and eggs then fried before being topped with something sweet. A glug of maple syrup is always popular and for the classic American breakfast, a bit savoury is thrown in, too – usually bacon.
French toast recipe
Serves 2
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 300ml milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or ½ tsp cinnamon
- 4 thick slices white bread
- 2 tbsp butter
- Toppings of your choice (such as 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey, or 2 tsp caster sugar)
How to make French toast
- In a wide dish, whisk the egg, milk and vanilla or cinnamon together. Coat one side of the bread slices in the liquid, then carefully flip them over and leave them to soak for 1-2 mins. If the bread isn’t very fresh you can leave for a few mins more. You want the eggy milk mixture to be absorbed into the bread but not so much that it falls apart.
- Melt 1 tbsp of the butter in a large non-stick pan over a medium heat and add two slices of the soaked bread. Cook for 5 mins or until golden, then turn to cook the other side for another 5 mins. Transfer to a plate and cook the other two slices in the rest of the butter.
- Cut the bread on the diagonal and divide between 2 plates, then add your toppings. A drizzle of honey or maple syrup works really well, or a sprinkling of cinnamon mixed with sugar. Add some jam, fruit compote or a few slices of fresh fruit or berries if you like. You can even turn it into dessert with the addition of crème fraiche or ice cream.
