Swiss French Toast - Fotzel

Nobody really knows how this dish got its name. Literally, "fotzel" means a torn-off scrap of paper, in this instance bread is used. Swiss grandmothers used to take stale bread to make fotzel slices, which made it an ideal recipe for homemakers accustomed to never throwing bread away. This recipe was taken from a swiss web site and posted for use in ZWT - 7 World tour of Switzerland.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 -5  apples, large, peeled and cored
• 1⁄3 cup water, cold
• 2  tablespoons lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
• 2 -3  tablespoons maple syrup (to taste)
• 3  tablespoons sugar (to taste)
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons cinnamon (more or less your preference)
• 12  slices  bread (stale bread, your choice)
• 3  tablespoons milk (sprinkling)
• 1⁄3 cup milk
• 3  eggs
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 9  tablespoons butter

Directions

1. Step 1, for the apple puree, peel and core the apples and cut into slices.
2. Cook the apple in the water until soft, then mash until smooth.
3. Next add the lemon juice and maple syrup to taste.
4. Step 2, sprinkle the 3 tbsps of milk over the bread and set aside.
5. Mix sugar and cinnamon together and also set aside until needed for garnish.
6. Stir the eggs in a bowl and mix in the rest of the milk, add a pinch of salt.
7. Heat butter in a pan and keep warm.
8. Lay the bread slices in the egg and milk mixture to soften them, then transfer them to the heated pan.
9. Fry on both sides until they are golden brown, remove from pan and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon to taste.
10. Serve apple puree on the side for those who enjoy it.