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Delta Pain Perdu

Source of Recipe

From "Southern Fried" by James Villas


Recipe Introduction

"Referring to 'lost and rescued' day-old bread that is soaked or dipped in a seasoned batter, then fried till golden brown, pain perdu is the Creole version of French toast that is served either with cane syrup for breakfast or sprinkled with confectioners' sugar and topped with fresh berries for an unusual dessert. Ideally, the bread should be served as hot as possible, but if that's impractical, it's also delicious warm or even at room temperature. I do not recommend substituting slices of white loaf bread for the French bread in this recipe."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 cups milk
â—¦ 2 large eggs
â—¦ ½ cup granulated sugar
â—¦ ½ teaspoon salt
â—¦ ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
â—¦ 2 tablespoons brandy
â—¦ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
â—¦ 8 slices day-old French bread, about 1 inch thick
â—¦ 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) butter
â—¦ Confectioners' sugar
â—¦ Fresh berries (optional)


Recipe

In a bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, granulated sugar, salt, nutmeg, brandy, and vanilla till well blended.
Arrange the bread slices in a shallow baking pan, pour the egg mixture evenly over the tops, and let soak for about 10 minutes.

In a large, heavy skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over moderately high heat, add four of the bread slices, fry till browned, about 2 minutes on each side, and transfer to a heated platter. Repeat with the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and four bread slices.

Sprinkle the slices with confectioners' sugar, garnish with the berries, and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings