Traditionally French toast, or pain perdu, is made from slices of bread soaked in beaten eggs and milk, then pan-fried. It is neutral and so can be served as a savoury dish with ham and cheese, bacon, mushrooms and condiments such as ketchup and mayo or a sweet dish with sugar, vanilla or cinnamon. YUM. My parents called it ‘eggy bread’, which was a treat when I was a kid.
Due to its flavour neutral recipe, French Toast can have almost limitless personalised recipes. Instead of basic bread, you can make it with brioche, crumpets, muffins and even hot cross buns. Preparation variations include soaked in wine, rosewater, or orange juice to being served with all manner of toppings, from fruit and nuts to syrups, ice cream and custard!
It’s August now and we’ll soon be on the way to autumn where we all go pumpkin crazy (including me!) So why not give this recipe for baked pumpkin french toast? It’s made in a skillet which makes it super easy. Combine, pour, bake and enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 1 french baguette
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup of milk
- ¼ cup of heavy cream
- ½ cup of pumpkin puree
- ½ cup of granulated sugar
- ½ tsp of pumpkin pie spice
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cut bread into one inch slices, then cut each slice in half. Arrange in the bottom of a 12” cast iron skillet.
- Add all of the other ingredients to a large bowl and whisk until the eggs are fully beaten, and you have a liquid mixture.
- Pour mixture over bread.
- Put the skillet on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven, and sprinkle powdered sugar over the top, if desired, and serve warm with syrup.
