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Easter Eggy Bread: Raspberry & Vanilla “Pain Perdu” (French Toast)

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Easter Eggy Bread: Raspberry & Vanilla "Pain Perdu" (French Toast)

Easter Eggy Bread: Raspberry & Vanilla “Pain Perdu” (French Toast)

Easter Eggy Bread:

Raspberry & Vanilla “Pain Perdu”

(French Toast)

Easter Eggy Bread: Raspberry & Vanilla "Pain Perdu" (French Toast)

Raspberry & Vanilla “Pain Perdu” (French Toast)

Thank goodness it’s Friday! I’ve had a really busy week and I am looking forward to a bit of “down time” over the weekend. Today’s post is all about getting ahead however; in just a little over two weeks it will be Easter Sunday and time to celebrate this seasonal festival with chocolate, sweets, eggs, and all the other “forbidden” food that many people may have given up for Lent. Although Christmas is seen as the “biggie” in the Christian calendar of feasts and festivals nowadays, that wasn’t always the case, and Easter used to be the most important festival in times gone by. And, NOT that long ago either, as I remember sending and receiving Easter cards when I was little, as well as observing Good Friday and Easter Sunday and Monday with appropriate meat-free menus and Hot Cross Buns, which were NEVER eaten all year around.

Churchill Easter Breakfast China

Churchill Easter Breakfast China

I think it is a huge shame that so many of our traditional recipes and dishes have been high-jacked by large supermarkets and are on offer throughout the year – we have lost so much anticipation and mystery that used to surround those special times of the year, and I still only eat Hot Cross Buns at Easter time! I always make my own Hot Cross Buns and last year I branched out and made some “French style” Brioche Hot Cross Buns, which proved extremely popular, and have the benefit of being made in a “muffin” tin to keep their shape, although, you could use proper brioche tins too of course.

Brioche Style Hot Cross Buns

Brioche Style Hot Cross Buns

Today’s recipe is a special breakfast (or brunch) recipe for the Easter weekend, and is a great way to use up stale bread. “Pain Perdu” (meaning “Lost Bread” in French) is what the Americans call “French Bread” and what we call “Eggy Bread”; it’s a thrifty and frugal way of “dressing” up old bread and is a favourite recipe of mine. It’s the perfect Easter recipe as is uses eggs, and for anyone who keeps their own hens, they will know that our feathered friends are back “in lay” after the winter months. My hens, Mavis, Peggy and Betty are presently laying an egg a day (for at least seven to ten days), and so I have two and a half-dozen eggs at my disposal in just over a week…….it’s wonderful for all my Eastertide baking and cooking, and perfect for “eggy brekkies” too!

Raspberry & Vanilla "Pain Perdu" (French Toast)

Raspberry & Vanilla “Pain Perdu” (French Toast)

As well as this simple seasonal recipe for Raspberry & Vanilla “Pain Perdu” today, I would also like to share some of my pretty (and practical) china from Churchill China, whom I work with as an Ambassador. As part of my ambassadorial role, I share seasonal recipes throughout the year showcasing some of the china I was sent as part of my role; my china set is part of the beautiful Caravan Trail, and the pattern is called Penzance – a folk art style design featuring fauna and flora in traditional blue and white but with a distinctly Scandinavian feel, it is perfect for everyday use as well as more formal dining requirements, and I LOVE it. Before I took my Raspberry and Vanilla Pain Perdu recipe photos, I had great fun setting the shot up and styling it, and I thought you might find the following “pre-shoot” shot of my setting interesting…….

Churchill Easter Photo Shoot

Churchill Easter Photo Shoot – Styling the shot

Churchill Easter Photo Shoot

Churchill Easter Photo Shoot – styling the shot

For all of my other “Churchill China” related recipes, you can see them all here: Lavender and Lovage Churchill Recipes, and I am currently hosting a FABULOUS giveaway here: Win ONE of FOUR Churchill China Penzance Breakfast Sets  where FOUR lucky readers can win a bespoke “Breakfast Set”. That’s all for today, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I’ll be back over the weekend with some more new recipes, including some long overdue “5:2 Diet” recipes too. Karen 

Easter Eggy Bread: Raspberry & Vanilla "Pain Perdu" (French Toast)

Raspberry & Vanilla “Pain Perdu” (French Toast)

Print recipe
Raspberry & Vanilla “Pain Perdu” (French Toast)
Serves 4
Prep time 2 minutes
Cook time 5 minutes
Total time 7 minutes
Allergy Egg, Milk, Wheat
Dietary Vegetarian
Meal type Bread, Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Misc Child Friendly, Pre-preparable, Serve Hot
Occasion Christmas, Easter, Valentines day
Region French
By author Karen S Burns-Booth
A super easy and yet extremely tasty way to use up old (stale) bread, this recipe for "Pain Perdu" (French Toast, Eggy Bread) makes a perfect breakfast or brunch dish for the weekend or a special breakfast gathering, such as Easter or Christmas. Serve with home-made raspberry jam and fresh raspberries when they are in season.

Ingredients

  • Unsalted butter (to fry the bread)
  • 8 slices of bread of your choice (stale bread is best, no need to cut the crusts off)
  • 2 free-range eggs
  • 150 mls full fat milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Raspberry jam to serve
  • Vanilla sugar to serve

Note

A super easy and yet extremely tasty way to use up old (stale) bread, this recipe for "Pain Perdu" (French Toast, Eggy Bread) makes a perfect breakfast or brunch dish for the weekend or a special breakfast gathering, such as Easter or Christmas. Serve with home-made raspberry jam and fresh raspberries when they are in season. Vanilla sugar is easy to make at home and I have a recipe here: French Lavender and Vanilla Sugar (just omit the lavender)

Directions

Step 1 Beat the eggs, milk, vanilla extract and sugar together and pour it into a shallow bowl.
Step 2 Melt the butter in a large non-stick frying pan, OR on a large griddle. Dip the bread into the egg and vanilla mixture, for about 20 to 30 seconds on both sides and then fry it immediately in the hot butter.
Step 3 Cook until golden brown on both sides and then serve straight away with raspberry jam and a sprinkling of vanilla sugar. (I find it best to cut the bread into triangles to serve, as it looks better)
Step 4 NB: If cooking for a crowd, fry the bread in batches and keep it warm in a hot oven, wrapped in foil to stop it drying out. Serve as before.
Easter Eggy Bread: Raspberry & Vanilla "Pain Perdu" (French Toast)

Easter Eggy Bread: Raspberry & Vanilla “Pain Perdu” (French Toast)

Disclaimer: I received a Churchill china Penzance dinnerware service for free, in order to share and showcase the china with my readers as part of my sponsored collaboration with Churchill China. With thanks to Churchill China for sending me some further items from the Penzance range to use and review. I was not asked to write a positive review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.  
download

As this recipe has JAM in it, I am also entering it into Tea Time Treats which is featuring:

 Jam, Curds and Preserves this month……

…..and is hosted be Me at Lavender and Lovage and Jane from the Hedgecombers! 

Tea Time Treats Lavender and Lovage

 

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Comments

  2. Camilla @FabFood4All says

    Ooh I could just dive into that eggy bread, so naughty but so nice:-) I’m loving the Churchill China – blue and white is my favourite colour combination – just classic and timeles:-)

    Reply

  3. Deena kakaya says

    I was hoping to see this eggy bread indulgence after seeing it on Instagram, It looks romantic Karen. And what a coincidence that your hens are mentioned in this post xx

    Reply

  5. Dominic says

    oh god yes yes, i love eggy bread!… im going to copy this recipe word for word over the weekend!… i also love your china, its so pretty!

    Reply

  6. Heidi Roberts says

    French Toast is one of my favourite weekend/holilday breakfasts although I like mine with maple syrup.

    Reply

  17. Chloe says

    Totally agree about saving Hot Cross Buns for Easter, and those brioche versions look delicious. I’ve never made brioche dough before but I’ll plan to give these a go over the holiday. Also love the look of your eggy bread, I’m a new convert to pain perdu having tried it again at a GB Chefs event recently; I’m just envious of your prolific chickens!

    Reply

    • Karen Burns-Booth says

      THANKS Chloe! I have always wanted chickens and then 3 years ago, I was lucky enough to get my first three hens………just three hens gives me at least 18 eggs a week, which is fabulous, and the eggs are free-range too! Karen

      Reply

  18. cj says

    Karen – Would love to see this submitted at Food Foto Gallery . com so I can share with all my foodie friends 🙂

    Reply

  19. Louisa Foti says

    I’ve only recently managed to get my kids to like eggy bread, I’ve no idea why previously they’ve not been fans, what’s not to love?! I’m more of a savoury person with mine though, preferring them plain just with salt and pepper. But I’m sure my kids would love the jammy addition, especially if it was their Grandad’s beloved Raspberry Jam! And of course I’m a huge fan of your Churchill collection and would love to obtain a few more pieces to add to my christmas baking set win – and yes I’ve entered!

    Reply

  20. Torsten says

    Wow! Everything looks so tempting and beautifully presented. Gotta try that eggy bread!!

    Following you on Twitter now, so hope to see you there sometime!

    Reply

  23. Kathy D says

    Easy and tasty! I made this for a quick breakfast this morning and my adult kids loved it. They especially loved the raspberry jam. Thank you! Made for CQ 2 – Quebec Canada.
    LifeIsGood

    Reply

  24. Lynn Dine says

    Wonderful breakfast!! I made 1/2 of the recipe, as it was just for me. I used a seedless raspberry jam and just sprinkled the French Toast with some sugar, after it was grilled, as I forgot to add it to the egg mixture. This was a nice change from my normal French Toast, usually just egg and milk and then top with some butter and maple syrup. Thanks for sharing the recipe Karen!! Made for Culinary Quest 2015. Diner524/Lynn Dine

    Reply

  25. Lavender Lynn says

    Loved this French toast. The jam and powdered sugar is a different taste than maple syrup and butter but is equally delicious.
    Great to use up stale bread in such a great way. Made for CQ2.

    Reply

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