Pain Perdu (French Toast, the French Way)
Local name: Pain perdu
In short: Slices of stale bread soaked in a vanilla custard and fried in butter until golden, then dusted with cinnamon sugar. It takes about 30 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 430 kcal
Pain perdu means lost bread, a thrifty French way to turn day-old bread into a treat. Thick slices of stale baguette or brioche soak in a sweet vanilla custard, then fry in butter until golden outside and soft inside. It is eaten for breakfast or as a simple dessert, dusted with cinnamon sugar or served with jam, fruit or a drizzle of maple syrup. The stale bread matters, since fresh bread turns soggy.
Instructions
- Whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a wide shallow dish until completely combined.
- Soak the bread slices in the custard for 30 to 60 seconds per side, until saturated but not falling apart. Stale baguette needs the longer time.
- Melt a little of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the soaked slices in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deep golden and cooked through with no wet center, adding more butter between batches.
- Keep the cooked slices warm on a tray in a 100°C (210°F) oven while you finish the rest.
- Serve hot, dusted with cinnamon sugar or topped with jam and fruit.
Tips
- Use stale bread, which absorbs custard without falling apart. If your bread is fresh, dry the slices in a 150°C (300°F) oven for 10 minutes first.
- For a more dessert-style pain perdu, add a splash of orange blossom water or rum to the custard and serve with caramelized apples or berries.
Questions and answers
What is the difference between pain perdu and French toast?
They are essentially the same idea. Pain perdu is usually made with stale baguette or brioche soaked in sweet custard, and in France it is often served as a dessert.
Why is my pain perdu soggy?
The bread was too fresh or soaked too long. Use stale bread, soak it until just saturated and fry over medium heat so the center cooks through.
Can I make pain perdu ahead of time?
Whisk the custard up to a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Soak and fry the bread just before serving. Cooked slices also reheat in a hot oven for 5 minutes.
How long does it take to make Pain Perdu (French Toast, the French Way)?
About 30 min in total: 10 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Pain Perdu (French Toast, the French Way)?
About 430 kcal per serving, with 14 g of protein, 45 g of carbohydrates and 21 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 430 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 14 g |
| Carbohydrates | 45 g |
| Fat | 21 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 14 g |
| Sodium | 420 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
