Pain Perdu

Name: Pain Perdu
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H5M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT0H20M0.000S
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: french
Ingredients: 1 cup/250 ml milk, plus more if needed; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 4 slices baguette; 1 egg; 2 tablespoons sugar, plus more for caramelizing; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more if needed; Vanilla ice cream, for serving; Cherries and blackberries, for serving

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Level: Easy

Total: 20 min
Active: 5 min

Yield: 4 servings

Level: Easy

Total: 20 min
Active: 5 min

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup/250 ml milk, plus more if needed

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 slices baguette

1 egg

2 tablespoons sugar, plus more for caramelizing

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more if needed

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Cherries and blackberries, for serving

Directions

Stir together the milk and vanilla in a shallow dish. Soak the bread slices in the milk mixture for about 5 minutes, turning once so that they absorb the milk evenly.
Beat the egg with the sugar and pour onto a plate.
Heat the butter in a skillet until sizzling. Take the bread from the milk, holding it above the bowl to drain slightly. Dip into the egg mixture to coat both sides, then drop into the sizzling butter and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side.
At the last minute, sprinkle the tops with a little extra sugar and "broil" with a blowtorch (or place them on a baking sheet under the broiler until the sugar, melts, bubbles and turns golden).
Divide the bread among serving plates. Serve hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a dribbling of fresh, ripe cherries and blackberries that have been sauteed in butter and sugar and possibly flamed.

Recipe courtesy of Laura Calder