Equipment
Ingredients
Spiced Plum Syrup
- 400 g red plums, pitted and wedged
- 80 g granulated sugar
- 60 ml water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 15 ml lemon juice
Custard Base
- 3 eggs, large
- 120 ml whole milk
- 60 ml heavy cream
- 30 g granulated sugar
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 2 g ground cinnamon
- 1 g fine sea salt
Assembly
- 400 g brioche loaf, stale
- 40 g unsalted butter, divided
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Combine plum wedges, sugar, water, and the cinnamon stick in a saucepan over medium heat.
Simmer the plum mixture gently until the fruit softens and releases its juices into a ruby syrup, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, remove from heat, and discard the cinnamon stick.
In a shallow dish, vigorously whisk together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, ground cinnamon, and salt until completely homogeneous.
Place brioche slices into the custard. Soak for 30-60 seconds per side, depending on the staleness of the bread. The bread should be heavy with liquid but not falling apart.
Melt half the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once foaming subsides, add bread slices (do not overcrowd). Fry for 3-4 minutes per side until deep golden brown and the center is set (internal temp reaches 74°C/165°F).
Plate the warm French toast and spoon the warm plum syrup generously over the top. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Pain Perdu literally means 'lost bread'. This recipe is the perfect vehicle for rescuing a brioche loaf that has gone stale.
- If your plums are very tart, you may need to adjust the sugar in the syrup by an extra 10-20g.
- For an extra crisp crust, you can sprinkle a small pinch of sugar on the bread right before flipping it in the pan to caramelize.
- Clarified butter or ghee can be used for frying if you find your butter is burning before the toast is cooked.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store syrup and toast separately. Re-crisp toast in a pan or toaster oven.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze cooked toast in a single layer, then bag. Syrup freezes well.
Reheating: Oven at 180°C/350°F for 5-8 minutes or toaster.
