Pain Perdu

Submitted by Julie Bs Hive

"What we call French Toast the French call Pain Perdue. Sometimes served for dessert with fresh fruit. Posted for ZWT3"

 

• Ready In: 30mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Serves: 10-12

ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 1 1⁄2 cups milk
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 French bread (sliced thick, day-old bread) or 1 Italian bread (sliced thick, day-old bread)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• powdered sugar
• maple syrup (optional)

directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar and cinnamon until blended. Arrange the bread in a large shallow baking dish, overlapping the slices if necessary.
2. Pour the milk mixture over the bread and let stand for at least 30 minutes, carefully turning the bread with a wide spatula and rearranging it so it is evenly moistened halfway through the standing time.
3. Position one oven rack in the upper third of the oven and one in the lower third and preheat the oven to 400°. Put 2 tablespoons of the butter on each of two baking sheets with sides and place in the oven until the butter melts and pans are hot, about 5 minutes. Tilt the pans so the butter covers them evenly. Remove from the oven.
4. Place 5 to 6 slices of the soaked bread on each of the hot pans, spacing them evenly. Bake for 15 minutes. Take the pans out of the oven and turn each piece of bread over with a wide spatula. Return the pans to the oven, placing the one from the top rack on the bottom rack on the top, and bake until the bread is puffed and evenly browned, 15 to 20 minutes more.
5. Transfer to a platter, dust with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup, if desired.

Reviews

[kitty.rock]

I've never made French Toast in this manner, so it was a new experience. I used Italian bread, cut about 3/4 to 1-inch thick. Followed the directions exactly, and the toast came out nice and browned. Some of the pieces were not quite done inside, so I think maybe I cut the bread too thick. Next time I'll go a little thinner. I thought this was quite good, with pure maple syrup. I also like that it was baked, so I could work on sides while it baked. Made for Mediterranean Cruise Photo Tag, April 2010!

 

[evelynathens]

Very nice. I made up a 1/2 batch for the kids this morning. I liked the fact that this was baked rather than fried.