Why do the French call it pain perdu?

To this day in France, they call it “pain perdu” which means “lost bread.” This was because people originally made French toast from stale bread as a final use before throwing it away. This was especially true throughout Europe in the Middle Ages so that peasants could avoid the inconceivable act of wasting food.

Should French toast have more eggs or milk?

Whatever you decide on, the ratio of liquid to egg will still be about ¼ cup liquid to one egg, and one egg per two slices of bread . So, if you want to make four slices of French toast, you would need four slices of bread, two eggs, and ½ cup milk.

What do Americans call French toast?

The phrase “French Toast” first appeared in print in the Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink in 1871. But it is known by a variety of names including German toast, eggy bread, French-fried bread, gypsy toast, Poor Knights of Windsor, Spanish toast, nun's toast, and pain perdu which means “lost bread” in French.

Who invented pain perdu?

The origins on Pain Perdu can be traced to Roman times , when cooks would take their dense bread, dip it in a mixture of milk and honey, and fry it to make it more palatable. Taillevent, who wrote the influential early French cookbook “Le Viandier,” included a recipe for a similar fried bread dish.

Is French toast healthy?

French Toast is a delicious breakfast entree that is loved by many. With this in mind, french toast can be very calorie dense with high amounts of added sugar and fat . But, it can be tweaked to reduce the sugar and fat content while adding some fiber to your breakfast - yay!

Should you toast your bread before making French toast?

Use stale bread or toast the bread until it's golden-brown . It needs to be sturdy to hold up to the egg mixture. If the bread is fresh from the bag or you toast it too lightly, the finished dish will be soggy. Soak the toasted or untoasted bread for about 10 seconds per side to achieve the optimal texture.

Should French toast be wet in the middle?

The ideal French toast is browned and crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. It is not dry and it is not soggy .

What happens if you soak French toast too long?

Leaving the bread in the egg mixture for too long is another route to soggy French toast .

Why is my French toast not working?

Because you're cooking it with the Heat on too high . Pancakes should be done on medium-high heat, about 375. French toast needs to be set much lower, like eggs, about 325. This allows for the heat to penetrate through the thickness of the bread and cook the egg mixture all the way throug...

Why is my French toast falling apart?

The reason? " If you use fresh bread, it will soak up the [custard] so quickly that you run the risk of your French toast falling apart ," explains Traci Weintraub, founder and head chef at Gracefully Fed. Alternatively, "slightly stale bread tends to hold up better in the liquid mixture," she says.

Do you cook French toast on high or low?

Aim for medium-low heat so that the inside can cook and the outside will still get golden-brown and nicely caramelized. Follow this tip: Heat your griddle or frying pan to medium-low before cooking the French toast so it's perfectly cooked on both the outside and inside.

Classic French Toast (Pain Perdu) (2024)

A frugal dessert of bread slices dunked in an eggy mixture and toasted until golden

by Audrey March 6, 2022

March 6, 2022

Jump to Recipe

A staple food in France, French toast is named “Pain perdu” which translates literally to lost bread, reflecting the use of stale bread so it doesn’t get “lost”. These slices of breads dunked in an eggy mixture and toasted in a pan are comforting, sweet and tender – and a breeze to make at home. ‘Pain Perdu” also embodies the high status granted to bread in France and the utmost importance of not wasting it.

Very popular in France, French Toast, known as “Pain perdu”, is typically thought of a French invention. However, many recounts the French Toast recipe isn’t actually French, but instead dates back from to ancient Rome. It was later widely used by poor Europeans families in the Middle Age to make do with bread and staple ingredients.

Then, when the recipe was imported from England to America in the 16^th century, rumor has it a certain Joseph French replicated the recipe and gave it the name of “French Toast”. Perhaps, another (more plausible) explanation is that American chefs decided to add “French” to this humble toast recipe to make it sound fancier and charge a few extra dollars.

French or not, “Pains perdu” is a staple mid-afternoon snack or dessert in France. Despite American beliefs, French Toast isn’t really enjoyed for breakfast in France. The recipe for Pain Perdu is a home cook favorite as easy to make and a great way to use-up day-old baguettes, brioches, pains de mie or other rustic country breads. I think this is really a must recipe to have in your repertoire.

And while breads are ubiquitous in French kitchens and shall not be wasted under no circ*mstances, making French Toast isn’t the only way the French have adopted to make do with day-old breads. Croutons (as in the Salade Lyonnaise), French Onion Soup, Panade, Cheese Fondue, etc… are all delicious and frugal recipes to use up your day-old bread.

For making Pain Perdu, prefer a soft and tight-crumb bread. It will retain the egg mixture best: Pain de Mie or Brioche are ideal. But do know that any type of day-old bread will do really. I actually often like to use a country-style loaf, as pictured here, which was made from this recipe.
Cut bread into 1-inch slices, not thicker or the inside won’t cook and end up eggy/wet.
Make sure your eggs are at room temperature.
Preferably use a non-stick pan.
The French like to enjoy their plate of French Toast with extra dabs of butter and a sprinkle of sugar.

I think French toasts are best enjoyed right out of the pan, after just being made. However, you can also make them ahead of time too and store them in the refrigerator or freezer for later.

In the refrigerator: After cooking the French toasts, let them cool to room temperature. Place them in a ziplock bag and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Re-heat on low-medium heat in a pan.
In the freezer: After cooking the French toasts, let them cool to room temperature. Place them in a ziplock bag and keep in the freezer for up to 1 month. Let thaw overnight in the fridge and re-heat on low-medium heat in a pan.

I hope you’ll love this Classic French Toast (Pain Perdu) recipeas much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment.

Classic French Toast (Pain Perdu)

Print Recipe

Serves: 6-8 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes 20 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.8/5

( 5 voted )

Ingredients

350g country-style bread (about half a loaf, sliced in 1-inch think slices)
2 cups (500ml) milk (2% or whole)
1/2 vanilla bean (scraped) or 1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp (15ml) Calvados or rum
¼ cup (50g) brown sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter
Sugar (white or crystal) for sprinkling

Instructions

See Also

Classic French Toast Everything you need to know about Texas Toast The Best-Ever Bread to Use for French Toast (Plus 3 Amazing Alternatives)How to Make Perfect French Toast - The Daily Speshyl

Step 1 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, vanilla seeds ( or vanilla extract), Calvados (or rum), brown sugar and eggs. The mixture should be liquidy, smooth and foamy at the top.

Step 2 - Dip bread slices in egg mixture, turning to coat both sides evenly. When taking bread slices out of the mixture, let them drip excess liquid for a few seconds.

Step 3 - In a large skillet, melt 2 tbsp of butter over medium heat. When the butter sizzle, fry a slice of bread until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer slice onto a place and repeat until no slices is left.

For serving, sprinkle with sugar and top with small dabs of butter.

Did You Make This Recipe?

Leave a comment below, rate the recipe and/or share a photo on Instagram and tag @pardonyourfrench

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8 comments

Jennifer Haack March 13, 2022 - 2:10 pm

We made this to make up for having to lose an hour of sleep (Day light savings). I used a white loaf bread I bought at farmer’s market and had froze. Came out lovely and delicious. Thank you for your wonderful recipes!

Audrey March 13, 2022 - 2:15 pm

Wonderful, thank you for your feedback!

Amanda January 20, 2023 - 10:31 pm

Sooo yummy!! It’s a great way to make use of stale bread and a winner with the family. It’s very quick to make too which is also a bonus. Definitely a keeper!

Audrey January 21, 2023 - 8:52 am

Thanks Amanda. Definitely every word you said rings true. Such a great use of bread that’d otherwise go to waste. So glad it was enjoyed!

Barbara March 10, 2023 - 4:44 pm

Made this recipe for my grands; 3 and 22 months. Absolutely delicious, custard-like and flavorful. My grands love berries so made a berry compote (blueberries, red raspberries and black raspberries) for “dipping”. They loved it!

Audrey March 10, 2023 - 9:25 pm

So glad to hear it, Barbara. Berry compote sounds amazing for “dipping”. Berries are definitely made for pain perdu, in whatever form they come in.

Rhoda April 1, 2023 - 1:22 pm

Love these recipes

Audrey April 1, 2023 - 3:13 pm

Thank you, Rhoda!

Audrey

Bonjour ! I'm Audrey Le Goff, a French cookery writer, photographer, creator of the blog Pardon your French, and cookbook author of Rustic French Cooking Made Easy.

Classic French Toast (Pain Perdu) (2024)

A frugal dessert of bread slices dunked in an eggy mixture and toasted until golden

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Ingredients

Instructions

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