How to… French Toast

By John Barker (Head Chef)As we desperately search for new ways to ‘pimp my brunch’, where I begin with my recommendation is to open your cupboard. In the vain of waste reduction; see what it is that lurks at the back of your fridge threatening an onslaught of mould and rescue it in a most glorified way, all the while telling no-one that you are just winging it. One such item which seems to often leave us with the predicament of either hastefully stuffing ourselves or being thrown into the bin is, of course, bread. Whilst there are options aplenty as to what to do with your stale bread, I suggest a Sunday morning indulgence of French toast as the optimum choice; henceforth making ‘saving that bread’ much less of a mission. So how to… make French toast.

• First of all, you will need bread: even better if it is slightly stale, and the ultimate in decadence if it’s a brioche. Slice your bread accordingly (as you like it in thickness): personally, I teeter on the brink of being almost an inch thick.
• Next take a medium sized bowl and whisk together 2 eggs, 250ml of cream, 100ml milk, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon brown sugar.
• Heat one tablespoon of neutral oil in a frying pan.
• Once the oil is hot, submerge your bread slice-by-slice into the egg mixture before placing it onto the hot pan. Allow any excess mixture to fall back into the bowl before doing so.
• Fry for two – three minutes on each side, until golden brown and not liquid.
• Et voila: French toast.

 Part of the reason I chose French toast today is because it is also an awesome way to boost your fruit intake. We all have sporadic notions of a full fruit bowl every now and again, but best intentions often fall flat. However, adding any fresh fruits and a drizzle of maple or honey on top of this base recipe is pretty close to perfection: particularly if you get plums right now as they reach the peak of their season. It doesn’t stop at fruit. French toast is such a versatile dish and can be topped with a number of things from chocolate sauce to ricotta cream to granola and even Parma ham (trust me!). Get creative! Unleash your inner chef! Sprinkle things from a height, make smears across the plate, whatever it takes to impress your roommates or even dates. It makes for the most delightful lazy Sunday treat, and is a guaranteed happiness on a plate. Delish!