The classic French way to rescue stale bread and turn it into something glorious. Golden, buttery and softly custardy, topped here with caramelised apples for a little spring French flair.
Pain perdu literally means “lost bread” in French. 🇫🇷🍞
The name comes from the old habit of rescuing bread that had gone stale. Rather than waste it, cooks soaked the hardened bread in a mixture of milk and egg, then fried it in butter. So the bread was “lost” in the sense that it was past its best, then gloriously rescued.
In France they don’t tend to use maple syrup or cinnamon- that is more of an American addition. The French usually use fruit and creme fraiche or ice cream.
Caramelised Apples
2 Granny Smith apples - peeled and cut into thick wedges/slices
1 Tablespoon butter
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
Heat butter in small frying pan and cook apples till just starting to get soft. Add brown sugar, stir and let simmer on low while making the French Toast.
Pain Perdu
4 slices brioche or any slightly stale bread
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk or cream
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
butter, for frying
Mix the egg, milk, vanilla and salt in a shallow bowl. Heat butter in a large frying pan - dip bread in egg mixture and coat well, then fry on medium till golden brown. Keeps well in a warm oven if you are doing a bigger batch. Top with the warm golden apple and serve with ice cream or cream.
I had originally planned to do Pommes Anna for P. It’s a buttery layered potato cake. Which you bake till golden and tip out onto a plate all layered and beautiful. Note to self next time use non stick. These things happen.
I had a bit of a disastrous time with it and then took over a week to get around to a new ‘P’ lol.
