- Serves 2 – Ready in 35 min -
This recipe makes an easy and relaxed version of French Toast, perfect for a special New Year breakfast.
***This recipe can be scaled up to feed more people, but do keep the first batches warm-in-foil in the oven (before adding the fruit just before serving) OR serve immediately in sittings ***
Gather together...
20g butter (a piece HALF the size of a small matchbox).
2 medium eating apples (or 1 large eating apple).
2 medium eggs.
2 tbsp (25g) brown sugar (any type of brown sugar works fine).
60ml (4 tbsp) single cream (SINGLE cream works better than double cream, but it can be substituted).
1 tbsp (15g) white caster sugar / white granulated sugar.
Zest and juice from 1 medium orange (60ml), OR use 2-3 satsumas to make up enough juice/zest.
4 brioche finger rolls (2 per person) OR 2 brioche burger buns (1 per person).
1 big handful of washed and drained FRESH blueberries (frozen blueberries are too mushy for this recipe).
Serve with...
Leftover single cream - optional.
1 tsp icing sugar per person (sieved) - optional.
Get making...
1. Assemble all of the ingredients in front of you before you start, but don't slice the apples until you need them.
2. Melt the 20g of butter, gently, for 2 minutes in a large frying pan with the hob on LOW.
3. Slice the 2 medium apples thinly (0.5 cm thickness) and add the slices to the buttery pan. Stir well to coat (so that the apple slices don't go brown in the air).
4. Increase the hob heat and cook the sliced apples over the medium-low heat for 8 minutes, until golden brown. Stir occasionally.
5. Meanwhile make the 'soaking' mixture in a small / medium bowl; combine the 2 medium eggs, the 2 tbsp (25g) of brown sugar and the 4 tbsp (60ml) of single cream. Beat VERY well for about 20 seconds to thoroughly mix. Set aside.
6. Once the apples are gently browned, add the 1 tbsp of caster sugar and the 60ml (1 orange-worth) of orange JUICE to the pan NOT THE ZEST yet (the zest will be added later in the recipe). Stir and GENTLY cook for 5 minutes more, with the lid ON, until the apples are soft.
7. Turn off the heat and remove the apple slices from the pan (using a slotted spoon or tongs) and wrap the slices in greaseproof paper (on a plate) and then in a tea towel (to keep them warm). Set the wrapped apple slices aside.
8. Decant the buttery juices from the apple pan into a cup, so you can pour a-bit-at-a-time back into the pan when you are frying each batch later.
9. Set the buttery-pan aside to use later in the recipe, DON'T wash it yet!
10. Put 6 tbsp (1 ladle-full) of the egg mixture you made earlier into a flat, shallow bowl (like a soup bowl), make sure the sugar isn't all left in the original bowl by scraping the ladle along the bottom of the original bowl when scooping up each portion.
11. Cut the brioche rolls (finger roll or burger bun) horizontally into 2 slices per roll. Soak one person's portion of the slices of brioche rolls in a ladle of mixture in the shallow bowl, for 10 seconds per side. Put the soaked slices onto a large plate and set aside. N.B. 'one portion' = 4 slices of finger roll or 2 slices of burger bun roll.
12. Repeat for the other portion of cut brioche rolls, using a ladle-full of mixture (6 tbsp). Transfer the soaked brioche slices to the large plate. If any 'soaking' mixture is leftover in the shallow bowl, it can be drizzled now over the brioche slices on the soaking plate, to give them an extra soak.
13. Sprinkle the orange zest over the brioche slices on the plate.
14. Put a tsp of the butter (left behind after frying the apples) into the original frying pan and heat until the butter is bubbling slightly.
15. Brown the brioche slices in the frying pan, if your pan is large enough you can fit both portions in at once. Using a medium-low heat this should take 2 minutes per side (in a hot-enough pan). The slices should be slightly crispy and golden brown once done.
16. Serve each portion of toasted brioche, topped with half of the warm apple slices and half of the fresh blueberries
17. If you need to batch fry the brioche (because you are using a small frying pan or because you have doubled the recipe) then wipe out the pan with an old tea towel / cotton cloth between each batch. This is an important step, or else the butter will burn and make the flavours bitter.
18. For a more indulgent treat, drizzle the toasted brioche and fruit with some leftover single cream before serving and / or dust with 1 tsp of sieved icing sugar - enjoy!