Pain Perdu

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan
• •Wide shallow dish or pie plate for soaking
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Baking sheet
• •Fine-mesh strainer for powdered sugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the bread properly

   Slice the French bread on the bias into pieces about one and a quarter inches thick. You want thick slices because thin ones will fall apart in the custard. The diagonal cut gives you more surface area for soaking and a prettier presentation on the plate. You should get about eight good slices from a standard loaf.

   If your bread is fresh, spread the slices on a baking sheet and leave them uncovered overnight, or dry them in a 200F oven for twenty minutes.
2. 2

   Build the custard

   Crack the eggs into a wide, shallow dish (a pie plate works perfectly). Add the milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk until everything is completely combined and the sugar has dissolved. The custard should be a uniform pale yellow with no streaks of egg white visible. Taste it. It should taste like liquid vanilla ice cream. That's the bayou way: taste as you go.

   The heavy cream is not optional. It gives the custard richness that milk alone cannot provide. This is what separates pain perdu from cafeteria French toast.
3. 3

   Soak the bread

   Lay three or four bread slices in the custard, depending on how many fit without overlapping. Let them soak for about thirty seconds, then flip and soak the other side for another thirty seconds. The bread should feel heavy and saturated but still hold together when you lift it. Press gently with your fingers. If it feels spongy and gives slightly, it has absorbed enough. Do not rush this step, but do not drown the bread either.

   If your bread is very stale and dense, it may need a full minute per side. Watch the bread, not the clock. You will see the custard creep up through the crumb.
4. 4

   Heat the pan

   Melt two tablespoons of butter in a large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Swirl to coat the bottom completely. When the butter stops foaming and smells nutty, just before it starts to brown, your pan is ready. Listen for a gentle sizzle when you flick a drop of custard into the pan. Too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks. Too cool and you get soggy, greasy bread.

5. 5

   Fry until golden

   Lay the soaked bread slices in the pan, leaving an inch between each piece. Cook without moving them for three to four minutes until the bottom is deeply golden and caramelized. When you peek underneath and see that rich amber color, flip gently with a spatula. The second side needs another three to four minutes. The bread should feel firm when pressed lightly and spring back. Work in batches, adding more butter between each batch.

   Resist the urge to press down on the bread with your spatula. You will squeeze out all that beautiful custard you just soaked in.
6. 6

   Keep warm and continue

   Transfer finished slices to a wire rack set over a baking sheet in a 200F oven while you cook the remaining batches. The rack keeps the bottoms from getting soggy. Add another tablespoon of butter to the pan, let it melt and foam, then continue with the next batch of soaked bread.

7. 7

   Dust and serve immediately

   Arrange two slices per plate, overlapping slightly. Give them a generous shower of powdered sugar through a fine-mesh strainer, letting some drift onto the plate like fresh snowfall. Drizzle warm cane syrup over the top in lazy ribbons. Add fresh berries if you like, though the dish stands on its own beautifully. Serve immediately. Pain perdu waits for no one.

Chef Tips

• •Day-old New Orleans-style French bread is ideal because the crust is thin and the crumb is airy. If you cannot find it, a good baguette or Italian bread works, but avoid sandwich bread. It has too much structure and not enough soul.
• •Louisiana cane syrup is available online and in specialty stores. Steen's is the gold standard. In a pinch, you can use a mixture of half maple syrup and half molasses, but it is worth seeking out the real thing.
• •For special occasions at Lagniappe, we add a splash of bourbon or dark rum to the custard. About a tablespoon adds warmth without making the dish boozy. The alcohol cooks off in the pan.
• •The salt in the custard is essential. It balances the sweetness and makes all the other flavors pop. Do not skip it, even though it seems strange in a sweet dish.

Advance Preparation

• •The custard mixture can be made the night before and refrigerated. Whisk well before using.
• •Slice and dry your bread the day before for perfect texture.
• •Pain perdu is best served immediately, but cooked slices can be kept warm in a 200F oven for up to fifteen minutes without suffering.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 255g)