French Toast (Pain Perdu)

This is pain perdu, the original French toast, made to rescue slightly stale brioche in a rich egg custard scented with vanilla and orange. Fried in butter until deeply golden, it turns out crisp at the edges and soft and creamy in the middle. Dust with sugar and serve straight from the pan.

Pain perdu means “lost bread” and this is exactly how the French use up a stale loaf, soaking it in sweet vanilla custard before frying it in butter. The trick is a thick, enriched bread that drinks up the custard without collapsing. Get the pan right and you land somewhere between crisp toast and warm baked custard.

Ingredients

• 4 slices brioche or challah, thick-cut — day-old is ideal; each about 2cm thick
• 3 large eggs
• 120ml whole milk
• 2 tbsp double cream — optional, for extra richness
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest — or a pinch of ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch fine salt
• 30g unsalted butter — for frying
• to serve icing sugar, for dusting

Method

1. Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, caster sugar, vanilla, orange zest and salt in a wide, shallow dish until completely smooth and no streaks of white remain.
2. Lay the brioche slices in the custard in a single layer. Leave for about 30 seconds a side, pressing gently, so they soak through but still hold their shape. Thicker or staler bread can take a little longer.
3. Melt half the butter in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat until it foams but does not brown. Swirl to coat the base.
4. Lift two slices from the custard, letting the excess drip off, and lay them in the pan. Cook without moving for 2 to 3 minutes until the underside is deep golden.
5. Flip carefully and cook the second side for another 2 to 3 minutes, until both sides are richly coloured and the centre feels set and springy rather than wet or wobbly.
6. Wipe the pan, add the remaining butter and repeat with the last two slices, adjusting the heat down if the butter is catching.
7. Serve straight away, piping hot, dusted with icing sugar and any toppings you fancy.

Serve it with

• Maple syrup or warmed honey
• Fresh berries or sliced banana
• A spoonful of creme fraiche
• Crisp streaky bacon for a sweet-salty plate
• A dusting of cinnamon sugar

Why this works

Enriched brioche has enough fat and structure to soak up a generous custard without turning to mush, while the egg sets as it fries to give that signature crisp-outside, creamy-inside contrast.

Common swaps

• No brioche? Use thick-cut white bloomer or challah, staled overnight
• Swap double cream for an extra splash of milk for a lighter custard
• Use lactose-free or oat milk in place of dairy milk
• Trade orange zest for lemon zest, cinnamon or a scrape of nutmeg

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using fresh, soft bread that turns soggy and falls apart; slightly stale is better
• Soaking too long so the slices saturate and won't crisp up
• Frying too hot, which browns the butter and burns the outside before the middle sets
• Overcrowding the pan so the slices steam instead of frying golden

Storage, freezing & reheating

Storage: Best eaten fresh, but leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Freezing: Freezes well: cool completely, freeze in a single layer, then bag for up to 1 month.

Reheating: Reheat in a hot oven or toaster until piping hot and crisp again; avoid the microwave, which makes them soft.

Allergen notes: contains Egg, Milk, Gluten. Always check individual product labels.

Estimated nutrition

Per serving, estimated from typical ingredient values — not a substitute for precise dietary calculation.