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Pain Perdu

Source of Recipe

From "Barefoot in Paris" by Ina Garten


Recipe Introduction

"French toast for dessert? Who wouldn't love that? This is easy to make but best for a small party, since you have to get up between dinner and dessert to cook it. If you're eating in the kitchen and your friends like to cook with you, this old-fashioned French nursery dessert is really worth the effort. Your guests will love you."

List of Ingredients

◦ � pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
◦ 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
◦ 3 tablespoons Grand Marnier, divided
◦ 6 extra-large eggs
◦ 1 � cups milk or half-and-half
◦ 2 tablespoons honey
◦ 1 � teaspoons pure vanilla extract
◦ 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
◦ 2 teaspoons kosher salt
◦ 1 large brioche loaf or challah
◦ Unsalted butter
◦ Vegetable oil
◦ � cup (1 � ounces) sliced blanched almonds, toasted
◦ Confectioners' sugar, to serve


Recipe

Combine the sliced strawberries, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, and 1 tablespoon of the Grand Marnier in a small bowl and set aside. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, honey, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier, the vanilla, orange zest, and salt. Slice the bread in �-inch slices. Pour the egg mixture into a large shallow plate and soak a few slices of bread for 4 minutes, turning once.

Heat 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil in a very large saut� pan over medium heat. Take each slice of bread from the egg mixture, dip one side in the toasted almonds, and place in the saut� pan, almond side down. (While you're cooking each batch, add more bread to the egg mixture to soak.) Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Place the cooked bread on a baking sheet and keep it warm in the oven. Wipe out the pan with a dry paper towel, add more butter and oil, and continue to fry the remaining soaked bread until they're all cooked. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and serve hot with the strawberries.

Serves 6






❧ To toast almonds, place them in a dry saut� pan and cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, tossing frequently, until lightly browned.