Pain Perdu Recipes

PAIN PERDU I

Steps:

• Cut the bread and place on a wire rack to dry out a little as you prepare the batter.
• Whisk the egg to blend. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan or on the stovetop and allow to cool slightly. Whisk the sugar, salt and spices into the egg. When the butter has cooled slightly, slowly drizzle it in to the egg, whisking all the time. A little at a time, add the flour to the egg mixture to make a smooth thick paste. After it is all added, slowly blend in the milk and finally the vanilla. Whisk until just smooth and set aside.
• Heat the remaining butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Dip a slice of the bread in the batter and allow to soak for 30 seconds, no more. Remove from the batter and allow the excess to drip off, back into the bowl. Place the battered slice in the skillet. Repeat with the remaining slices. Cook until golden on one side and then flip to brown the other. Serve immediately--a fresh squeeze of lemon juice and a good dusting of powdered sugar is traditional.

PAIN PERDU

Steps:

• Place the bread in a large bowl and set aside.
• Whisk together the cream, vanilla sugar, brandy, salt and eggs (or use a blender). Pour over the bread. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then turn the bread over to ensure proper absorption. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Heat large oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat and add the butter. Sprinkle some flour and some vanilla sugar on top of the bread slices. When the foam from the butter subsides, put the soaked bread in the pan and cook on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip the bread and place the pan in the oven until cooked through and custardy in the middle, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Serve with powdered sugar and maple syrup.

PAIN PERDU RECIPE

Steps:

• Slice baguette into 2" thick slices set aside.
• In a shallow bowl add the eggs, milk, sugar, salt, whisk that together and then add the vanilla and orange zest, whisk to combine.
• Then place bread in the bowl to soak for at least a total of 6 mins (3 mins on each side)
• While bread in soaking you can heat the syrup. In a sauce pan heat 2 tablespoon (30 ml) of syrup, 2 tablespoon (30 ml) butter and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) orange zest until warm. Keep on a very low flame just to keep warm.
• Then heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of butter in a large non-stick skillet. Place soaked bread in pan, be careful not to crowd them so they can brown. Once browned on 1 side, flip them on the other side and cook for another 1-2 mins until golden brown. Then turn them on their sides to brown a bit, making sure the raw egg is being cooked on all sides.
• Then remove from a pan and place on a serving platter. Drizzle the orange syrup over the bread and top with some freshly grated orange zest to garnish. Enjoy!
• Entertaining with Beth is a weekly food series hosted by Beth Le Manach sharing easy recipes for elegant entertaining, that are also simple enough for a weeknight meal! Beth's motto is "Minimum effort for maximum impact!" Food tastes better when shared. So go ahead and have friends over!

PAIN PERDU

Steps:

• Combine the sliced strawberries, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, and 1 tablespoon of the orange liqueur in a small bowl and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, honey, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons orange liqueur, the vanilla, orange zest, and salt. Slice the bread in 3/4-inch slices. Pour the egg mixture into a large shallow plate and soak a few slices of bread for 4 minutes, turning once.
• Heat 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil in a very large saute pan over medium heat. Take each slice of bread from the egg mixture, dip one side in the toasted almonds, and place in the saute pan, almond side down. (While you're cooking each batch, add more bread to the egg mixture to soak.) Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Place the cooked bread on a baking sheet and keep it warm in the oven. Wipe out the pan with a dry paper towel, add more butter and oil, and continue to fry the remaining soaked bread until they're all cooked. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and serve hot with the strawberries.

PAIN PERDU

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Trim side and bottom crusts from brioche, leaving top crust intact. Slice brioche 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan; lay bread pieces in pan so that they overlap slightly, with top crusts visible.
• Make custard: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk milk, cream, sugar, vanilla scrapings, and liqueur. Cook until hot but not simmering.
• In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and yolks. Whisking constantly, pour 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into eggs; slowly add remaining milk mixture.
• Pour custard over bread, making sure to soak completely. Bake until firm to the touch, about 1 hour; if needed, press bread with a spatula to keep it moist.
• Remove from oven. Let cool slightly before cutting into rounds with a 3-inch biscuit cutter. Serve warm.

PAIN PERDU II

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, milk, brandy and orange zest. Beat until thick and foamy. Pour mixture into a shallow pan. Soak bread slices in the mixture for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until they are thoroughly soaked through.
• Heat a griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Lightly spray griddle with cooking spray. Cook the bread slices 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Serve hot.

PAIN PERDU AU FOUR

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan. Cut baguette into bite-sized pieces and mix in large bowl with warm milk and melted butter.
• In another bowl, mix eggs with sugar, rum and vanilla extract. Add to bread mixture.
• Peel and cut apples and add to bread mixture.
• Pour mixture into cake tin and bake for 40-45 mins.
• You can also put the dough into small soufflé tins, in which case reduce baking time to 30 mins.
• Serve while still warm!
• Tastes great with homemade vanilla sauce.

PAIN PERDU: NEW ORLEANS STYLE FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 F. Generously butter a large baking sheet.
• If desired, remove the crusts from bread slices and discard them or reserve them for another use. Set the bread aside.
• In a small bowl, beat the eggs with salt, sugar, milk, and vanilla. Pour into a flat-bottomed dish large enough to accommodate a few slices of the bread.
• Place the bread slices into the dish to soak up some of the egg mixture, a few at a time. Turn with a spatula and let them soak on the other side, but not too long, or they will be too saturated and difficult to turn. Gently remove the soaked bread slices to the buttered baking sheet and continue with the remaining bread slices. Spoon any remaining egg mixture over the slices.
• Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake the pain perdu for 15 to 20 minutes, turning after the first 10 minutes to brown on both sides.
• Serve immediately with melted butter and your favorite honey or syrup.