Pain perdu

"Lost bread" - that's French Toast to you, Yank...



The age-old technque of reviving stale bread slices by dipping them in an egg batter and frying them until golden brown is known in France as pain perdu, "lost bread." The basic recipe has remained relatively unchanged since the ancient Romans served it as a dessert called aliter dulcia, "another sweet dish." In the U.S. it known simply as "French Toast." The Oxford English Dictionary cites usages of "French toast" in English as early as 1660 (toasted bread with wine, orange juice, and sugar), and cites an egg-based recipe of the same name from 1882.

À table!

Pain Perdu

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

Melted butter for brushing heated surfaces.
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 cups milk
pinch of salt
zest of 1 orange
5 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract*
8 slices brioche or other egg bread sliced 1" thick
1/2 caramel sauce, warmed
6 tablespoons crème fraîche**

METHOD:

1. Preheat pan, sandwich grill or panini press.
2. Just before adding prepared bread slices, brush the bottom of the heat surface with melted butter.
3. In a shallow bowl whisk together eggs, cream, milk salt, orange zest, sugar and vanilla. Working in batches, soak bread in egg mixture 30 seconds per side.
4. Place bread on griddle plate, pan or in the panini press, close lid (if griddle or panini press) and cook until golden and crispy, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; cut each slice in half diagonally. Divide slices among individual plates. 5. Top each with 2 tablespoons caramel sauce and 1 1/2 tablespoons crème fraîche. Serve immediately.

* For readers in the U.S., Louis la Vache recommends the Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Bean Paste available at Williams-Sonoma.
** Crème fraîche is difficult to find in the U.S. California readers can find it at Trader Joe's. You can make your own from this recette.

Bon appétit!

This recette is also posted at The Frog Blog of Louis la Vache

Plus recettes (not necessarily French):


The Panera Bread Cookbook: Breadmaking Essentials and Recipes from America's Favorite Bakery-Cafe

The Comfort Diner Cookbook: A World of Classic Diner Delights, from Homestyle Dinners to Satisfying Breakfasts and Fun Midnight Treats