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)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 700 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbohydrates
- 66 g
- Fat
- 33 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 40 g
- Sodium
- 763 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 181 mg
- Potassium
- 470 mg
- Calcium
- 176 mg
- Iron
- 4.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 35 mg
- Phosphorus
- 112 mg
- Zinc
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 469 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 25 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.03 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.26 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 21 mcg
- Water
- 85 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
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.
Troubleshooting
French toast is soggy or raw in the middle
Cause: Heat was too high (burning outside before inside cooks) or bread was soaked too long
Fix: Transfer to a 180°C (350°F) oven for 5-8 minutes to finish cooking the center
Prevention: Lower heat to allow heat penetration; use stale bread
Cultural Context
Originating in France as a way to avoid wasting food, Pain Perdu turns stale bread into a luxurious dish. While often eaten as a dessert in France, this hearty version with brioche and fruit compote bridges the gap to the American-style brunch.
