Whether it’s breakfast in bed for a special occasion, or a mid-week treat to help make getting out of bed and ready for work a little easier, french toast is our go-to solution when it comes to indulgent breakfasts.
This recipe from Luke Mangan is as good as they get…
Cinnamon French Toast Recipe with Poached Mandarins in Champagne and Mint
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
For the Cinnamon French Toast
3 whole eggs, whisked together in a bowl
¼ cup milk 1 vanilla bean, cut length ways, seeds scraped (keeping the seeds)
⅓ cup fine castor sugar
¼ cup pouring cream
1tsp ground cinnamon
1tsp lemon rind, finely grated 20g unsalted butter
8 thick slices fruit bread
16 mint leaves, sliced thinly
Poached Mandarins
2 cups champagne
½ cup sugar
8 green cardamom pods
1 x stick cinnamon stick
1 whole star anise, lightly crushed
6 mandarins, peeled, white pith removed, quartered and halved crossways
Cardamom Cream
1 x 300ml double cream 1tbsp icing sugar mixture
¼ tsp ground cardamom
METHOD
For the Cardamom cream
Combine the cream, sugar and cardamom in a bowl and whisk until the mixture thickens slightly. Cover and keep in the fridge for later use.
To poach the mandarins
Place the champagne, sugar, cardamom, cinnamon and star anise in a saucepan over low to medium heat and stir for 2-3 minutes or until the sugar has melted.
Increase the heat to high and bring to the boil.
Add the mandarins and cook for 2-3 minutes, then take the pot off the heat and set aside.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing the mandarins and placing them on a tray.
Place the poaching mixture back on the stove and bring back to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens.
For the French Toast
In a clean bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla seeds, sugar, cream, cinnamon and lemon rind.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter until it begins to bubble.
Dip the bread slices into the egg mixture and place them carefully on the fry pan to cook. Cook in batches, for 2 minutes each side or until golden.
To Serve
Divide the cinnamon French toast between 4 plates with a little of the poached mandarins.
Pour over the syrup and top with cardamom cream.
Sprinkle over with the sliced mint.
