This is a super easy, extremely tasty way to use up old (stale) bread. A classic French recipe, “Pain Perdu” – French Toast, Eggy Bread – makes a perfect breakfast or brunch dish for the weekend or a snack at any time. Serve with home-made jam or even fresh fruit.
Ingredients for Pain Perdu
Unsalted butter (to fry the bread)
8 slices of bread of your choice (stale bread is best, no need to cut the crusts off)
2 free-range eggs
150 mls full fat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar
Jam to serve
Vanilla sugar to serve
Serves 4
Prep time: 2 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Method
Beat the eggs, milk, vanilla extract and sugar together and pour into a shallow bowl.
Melt the butter in a large non-stick frying pan, OR on a large griddle. Dip the bread into the egg and vanilla mixture, for about 20 to 30 seconds on both sides and then fry it immediately in the hot butter.
Cook until golden brown on both sides and then serve straight away with jam and a sprinkling of vanilla sugar.
I find it best to cut the bread into triangles to serve, as it looks better.
More delicious dessert recipes from France
Tarte Tatin by top French chef Daniel Galmiche
Peaches poached in green tea by 3 Michelin star chef Gerald Passedat
The lushest strawberry clafoutis ever by Karen Burns-Booth of award winning food blog Lavender and Lovage
