Now that our school holidays have started, there is a lot less rushing about in the early mornings which means more time for sleep-ins, leafing though the paper, reading favourite books and best of all…leisurely breakfasts. 

Luckily my children have healthy appetites and are happy to eat more than just toast and cereal as the first meal of the day, although during the school week this is a practical and healthy way to kick start their bodies and brains for day ahead. It is SO lovely to enjoy hot, varied breakfasts during the downtime of holidays. 

With five eager beavers there are always many pairs of hands keen to help out with making breakfast. I can always find a task for each child from whisking eggs or chopping up bacon, to buttering toast and setting the table. This means we can sit down and enjoy a hot, home cooked breakfast all together. 

This morning we enjoyed French Toast, known in France as pain perdu, which quite literally means, “lost bread” because that is exactly what happens as soon as the plain piece of bread disappears into the mixture. 

French Toast is a delicious and rather sneaky way of encouraging little ones to eat eggs. This affordable and readily available food is packed with 11 vitamins and minerals including zinc, Vitamins A, D and folate, along with proteins and healthy Omega-3 fats, all essential for growing young bodies and also active adults. 

I find the best bread for French Toast is either sourdough or the crusty Italian Pane di Casa style. It does not need to be super fresh. In fact I find two day old bread even better for this dish because it is just that little bit firmer. Both of these varieties have flavour, a decent crust and enough of a dense texture to adequately hold the creamy eggy mixture while still managing to end up golden brown and slightly crisp around the edges. Don’t even attempt to use sliced bread or grainy wholemeal – you will end up with a sloppy, sodden mess. 

I always serve my French Toast with bowls of diced fresh fruit and bottles of maple syrup. If we have fresh ricotta in the fridge then this is scooped on top of each slice as it is served. My children like a sprinkle of icing sugar which I have allowed on special occasions. However I generally try to steer clear of this, instead having pure maple syrup available to drizzle (in moderation) over the golden slices. My six year old sweet tooth inclined daughter is particularly fond of maple syrup and would be happy to drench her food with this if I didn’t keep it at arms length from her! 

French Toast is also a quick and easy after school snack option, especially during chilly autumn and winter days. 

This is my recipe for French Toast – feel free to adapt as per your personal taste or dietary requirements. This mixture will make 10 -12 ample slices depending on the size of your bread loaf. 

French Toast

Ingredients
5 large eggs (preferably organic or free range)
5 pinches of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
100 ml pouring cream
unsalted butter for cooking

In a large, wide mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, salt, vanilla and cream. 

Melt about 2 teaspoons of butter in a frypan – try to use one that has a non-stick surface because it gives a better finish finish with less chance of burning. I like the All-Clad brand for performance, heat distribution and durability. I also use 2 frypans at once to speed up the cooking process. You will need to add a little butter between frying each batch. 

Cut the bread into thick slices and dip 2 slices at a time into the mixture. Place these straight into the heated frypan/s which should be on a medium heat setting. 

Once the bottom edges of the French toast have turned opaque, flip over each slice and cook for about another 30 seconds or until golden brown. You may need to adjust the heat a little if you find the pieces are starting to over sizzle. 

Remove onto a platter or individual plates and eat while still warm.