• Privacy Policy
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • My Story
    • Hire
    • Custom Cakes
    • Handmade Treats
  • The Blog
  • The Scoop
  • Gluten Free
  • Paleo
  • Keto
  • GAPS

Edible Times

  • All Recipes
  • How To
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
  • Desserts
    • Chocolate
  • Drinks
  • Kids

The reason French toast is called lost bread + how to make it with brioche, challah or plain ol’ sandwich bread

Breakfast· Gluten Free· How To· Keto· Kids· Paleo· Recipes

19 Jan
Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

If you love brioche French toast – especially slices loaded with cinnamon – you’re not alone. And while thousands of recipes exist for what the French call pain perdu, you actually don’t need a recipe at all. Even for a perfectly sweet, cinnamon-spiked stack of YUM with any kind of bread!

Cinnamon brioche French toast on a plate with blackberries and maple syrup drizzling onto the stack.

The story of pain perdu or lost bread

The direct translation of pain perdu is “lost bread.” Pain is French for bread and perdu means lost, or waste.  For as long as bakeries or boulangeries have existed in France, so has pain perdu. Or bread that was too old to sell.

Loaf of brioche bread on table for French toast.

This doesn’t mean the bakers of France tossed their old bread in la poubelle, (the trash bin). The French waste nothing, above all, bread. So given the French’s aptitude for custard (crème brûlée, anyone?), the practice of reviving stale bread with an egg-cream mixture is par for the course.

Bread revival, New Orleans-style

This now mainly American tradition runs strongest in the city of New Orleans, one with a rich, delicious French heritage. And a city with a unique culture that needs no introduction.

Triabgle slices of French toast on plate with creme fraiche, berries and powdered sugar.

The Crescent City’s hippest and oldest restaurants serve indulgent plates of two-inch thick brioche slices, topped with fanciful garnishes like bourbon-soaked plums and bruléed pineapple. But that’s not how the home cooks of New Orleans do it.

Pain Perdu, in authentic New Orleans fashion

I myself hail from New Orleans and come from a long line of avid creole home cooks. While I didn’t come of age parading around the French Quarter, my mother grew up in Metairie. Her French toast is as traditional, and down-right delicious as it gets. And she will take no offense in me writing this next bit: Cooking is NOT her thing.

New Orlean's-style cinnamon French toast on a white plate garnished with powdered sugar.

I call her out on this lack of cooking enthusiasm to demonstrate how simple and quick French toast can be. Even one bursting with sweet, earthy, mouth-watering cinnamon. Because if my lovely mother is anything in the kitchen, it’s low-maintenance.

New Orlean’s-style Cinnamon French toast, no recipe needed

So tuck those teaspoons away friends, cinnamon-coated New Orlean’s-style French toast can be a reality in your kitchen in a few quick minutes. As long as you are armed with proper technique, and a few key ingredients.

Ingredients for simple and easy cinnamon French toast

Mom’s Simple French Toast

  • Sliced bread, any kind
  • Basic custard batter (2 eggs + 1 cup milk/cream/half & half)
  • Jars full of ground cinnamon (only half kidding)
  • Few sprinkles or drizzles of any sweetener: sugar, coconut sugar, honey or maple syrup
  • Pinch of salt
  • About a tablespoon of vanilla extract, optional
  • lemon or orange zest, optional
Sliced bread dripping with batter for easy cinnamon French toast.

Go nuts with the cinnamon. Growing up I vividly remember my mom mixing shake after shake of ground cinnamon into the custard batter. Until it turned nearly the color of chocolate. To this day, her no-fuss-just-eyeballing-it method is how I whip up a breakfast treat for my boys. And it’s downright divine.

How to make superb brioche French toast

For brioche French toast New Orleans-style – or any style – two elements are the ticket to scrumptious success:

  • stale or dried out slices of bread
  • a nice long dip in the custard

Step 1. Find your lost bread. Or lose some.

In the absence of true stale bread, slice up thick pieces the night before, and leave them uncovered to dry out overnight. For impromptu French toast, dry out the slices in a toaster or low-heat oven, taking care not to let them brown.

Thick slices of brioche on cutting board for French toast

Step 2. Prepare the custard batter.

Custard Batter = 2 eggs + 1 cup milk/cream/half & half

Whisk a basic custard batter in a medium bowl seasoned and spiced any way you like. For every 2 inch-thick slices of bread, you need roughly one cup of milk and two eggs.

Custard batter ingredients for brioche French toast

Step 3. Soak the slices in the batter.

Stovetop or Griddle French Toast. Dip well, but don’t soak, your slices of bread in the custard batter. Since the bread will absorb less liquid, cooking can be done solely on the stove in a sauté or frying pan or on an electric griddle.

Slice of brioche bread soaking in French toast batter.

Baked French Toast. The ultimate way to enjoy this brunch-so-hard favorite! Soak slices of toast in the batter in a shallow dish for five to ten minutes, flipping once (above).

Be sure not to fully submerge the bread, but have the batter come about halfway up the slice when in the dish. This version works best with enriched or loaf bread like brioche or challah, since you can slice it nice and thick yourself.

Step 4. Brown and/or bake the custard-soaked slices.

Stovetop or Griddle French Toast. Fry and bake the soaked slices. For easy French toast, simply brown both sides over medium heat. Non-stick pans, cast iron skillets or a griddle work best. If using a stainless steel pan, fry with a small amount of oil or butter to prevent sticking. Cook each side to a deep golden color, and try to flip only once.

Brioche toast browning in a sauté pan.

Baked Brioche French Toast. In an oven-proof skillet, fry long-soaked slices of brioche until a deep-brown color on the first side. Flip, and transfer the pan to a 350° F oven, baking until puffed and golden. Depending on the thickness of your slices, baking times will be anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes.

What if I don’t have an oven-proof skillet?

Without a heat-proof pan, begin by preheating the oven with a sheet pan or baking dish in it. Next, brown soaked slices on both sides in a skillet or on a griddle. Then transfer the toast to the pan in the oven. Bake the French toast until it is puffed and richly golden.

How to make easy French toast casserole

Cube brioche, challah or any bread into one-inch pieces. Baked French toast works best when you begin with an unsliced loaf.

Stuff a baking dish, cast-iron skillet or cake pan end-to-end with bread cubes. You want to pack the bread as tight as possible. Pour enough batter in the dish to come to the top of the bread, and bake at 350° F until puffed and golden, about 30 minutes.

How much batter do I need for a French toast casserole?

Here’s a simple trick that will allow you to make French toast casserole, in any size baking dish.

Step 1. Fill the baking dish you want to use about two-thirds full with water.

Step 2. Pour the water into a measuring cup, keeping track of how much was in the dish. With a smaller measuring glass, this make take a few rounds. The final amount is about how much milk or cream you will want to start with, adding the corresponding number of eggs.

How to enjoy French toast on any diet

Cleaning up your diet and achieving optimum health doesn’t mean giving up delicious dishes like French toast! Here’s a quick cheat sheet for how to adapt French toast for any diet. Yes, even keto.

French toast with gluten-free bread on a white plate with blackberries.
gluten-free French toast

Gluten free. Easiest of them all! Just replace wheat bread with your favorite gluten free bread. I like choosing brands with the most seeds and whole grain flours, like quinoa and millet.

Paleo + GAPS. If you follow a paleo-style diet, the days of having to bake your own grain-free bread at home are over. Soak up a grain-free bread in a custard batter of eggs, nut milk and honey. I love Joi nut milk bases, as there are no added sugars, gums or emulsifiers.

Brioche French toast with keto bread stacked on white plate with berries and melted butter.
keto French toast

Keto. WHAT?! French toast on a keto diet? Yes, it’s possible. While still not everywhere in every store, grain-free bread brands like Base Culture are growing in popularity (not affiliate link). Leave sugar out of the batter, and garnish with plenty of pastured butter and a bit of fruit, or even avocado.

French toast: saving the planet one slice at a time

Statistics show that each year affluent societies waste 1.3 billion tons of food. Let’s take a moment to absorb that.

Different types of bread on a cutting.

And while we’re here with our eyes wide open, we can factor in the fossil fuels required to produce said wasted food. And then to burn it as trash. Now you’ve really got yourself one scary statistic, when we finally consider all this waste could feed the hungry.

I know, I know, way too much. I’m part French, I can’t help it. Please forgive me, and let’s move on.

Brioche French toast on a white plate with powdered sugar and berries.

If you do find yourself with stale bread, or plan ahead with a loaf of brioche you accidentally forget about, we’ve arrived at my point. You can waste not, want not and enter into the delightful world of pain perdu.

So go ahead, lose yourself in a sweet, spiced moment with your old, but new again bread. It will be anything but a waste of time.

Yours in finding breakfast,

Related Posts

  • Japanese souffle pancakes on plate with blueberries and maple syrup.
    What Japanese pancakes really are + how to make them gluten + grain free
  • Baked bacon on white plate with a rosemary garnish, next to a measuring cup of brown sugar.
    How to cook bacon, in the oven + two candied bacon methods
  • Brioche French toast with keto bread stacked on white plate with berries and melted butter.
    The reason French toast is called lost bread + how to make it with brioche, challah or plain ol’ sandwich bread
  • Close up of scrambled eggs with sharp cheddar cheese, cilantro, sriracha on plate
    My chef’s secret on how to make fluffy scrambled eggs (and no, not adding milk)
Print
clock clock icon cutlery cutlery icon flag flag icon folder folder icon instagram instagram icon pinterest pinterest icon facebook facebook icon print print icon squares squares icon heart heart icon heart solid heart solid icon
Brioche French toast for any diet: gluten free, keto, paleo and GAPS.

New Orleans-style Cinnamon Brioche (or any bread) French Toast

  • Author: Christina
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

Brioche French toast loaded with cinnamon! Super easy and incredibly flexible, this method for New Orlean’s-style cinnamon lost bread is a crowd-pleaser. If you’re in the mood to share, that is! 

Any fruit elevates your French toast! Keep it in season and try apples in the fall or berries in the spring and summer. The amounts don’t matter as much as the method (as I’m always preaching).


Ingredients

Scale

Cinnamon Brioche (or any bread) French Toast

  • 4 slices brioche, challah, gluten-free or grain-free bread, forgotten about or left out on purpose overnight
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups half and half, heavy cream or milk
  • ¼ cup granulated or brown or coconut sugar, optional
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • several spoonfuls of cinnamon, optional
  • lemon or orange zest, optional

Quick + Easy Fruit Compote

  • 1–2 cups seasonal fruit, washed, peeled and sliced if necessary
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup or honey
  • 3–4 spoonfuls of pastured or organic butter
  • one lemon, peel grated and squeezed for juice

Instructions

For French Toast

  1. Combine milk, eggs, vanilla, sugar and cinnamon and whisk until smooth.
  2. Heat a large non-stick pan or griddle over low to medium heat. 
  3. Dip slices of bread in batter until completely saturated (about 10 seconds), and cook on both sides until well browned, around 5 minutes per side.
  4. Toast can be held warm in a low heat oven until all are cooked.
  5. Serve with fruit compote.
  6. Leftover compote can be refrigerated for up to a week, or frozen for several months, along with extra bread.

Fruit compote

  1. Melt butter over medium heat in a small sauce pot and add fruit, lemon zest and juice.
  2. Cook until fruit begins to soften slightly.
  3. Add maple syrup and butter, and heat until bubbly and slightly thickened.
  4. Keep warm on very low heat until ready to serve. If it dries out, simply add a little water and heat back up.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @edibletimes on Instagram and hashtag it #edibletimes

4 Comments

Questions? Comments? Join in Below! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Comments

  1. Joan W says

    May 9, 2012 at

    Why do mine always burn?

    Reply
    • edibletimes says

      May 10, 2012 at

      Try setting your heat lower and harnessing patience so they have time to brown slowly. Too much sugar in the batter could also be a potential burn factor, or even using skim milk (higher sugar content in the milk). Hope this helps!

      Reply
  2. [email protected] Family Moments says

    May 9, 2012 at

    I’m liking the seemingly latest theme of half & half or cream. Gotta start stocking that in my house!

    Reply
    • edibletimes says

      May 10, 2012 at

      Mmm, hmmm! One time I used cream for fun and haven’t gone back!

      Reply

Let’s talk food!I am truly inspired when you comment. Your email will not be shared, sold, or added to the newsletter list. To subscribe to the Edible Times newsletter for exclusive content, sign up above.

Christina Bailey

Thanks for coming to Edible Times!

I'm Christina, a classically trained private chef + Chef Mom to two little boys. I'm here to empower you in the kitchen and in health by sharing not just delicious, chef-tested recipes, but the professional formulas and techniques, too. To read about me and my food philosophy, follow this. To get straight to cooking + baking head to the blog. To subscribe for exclusive content,join in below.

Trending

Mini tin cake plate with a variety of French macarons.
How to Make French Macarons
Sugar cube set over an absinthe spoon, set over absinthe in a glass on a table
Absinthe Cocktail

Hand holding a bitten-into Orange creamsicle macaron.
Orange Creamsicle Macarons
New Orleans red beans and rice on white plate
New Orleans Red Beans + Rice

Find recipes + techniques

In Season

https://edibletimes.com/gluten-free-vanilla-cake/
Vanilla Chiffon Cake (GF)
Bacon-wrapped asparagus on white plate.
How to Cook Asparagus

Sliced pork loin on plate with green beans.
Stuffed Pork Loin
Lemon macarons stacked on top of each other by Edible Times
Lemon French Macarons

Child's hands holding fresh fruit tart
Fresh Fruit Tart (GF)
Tomato and asparagus quiche from Edible Times
Tomato + Asparagus Quiche (GF)

my foodgawker gallery

browse recipes

  • Breakfast
  • Chocolate
  • Desserts
  • Dinner
  • Drinks
  • GAPS
  • Gluten Free
  • How To
  • Keto
  • Kids
  • Macarons
  • Op Ed
  • Paleo
  • Recipes
  • Vegan
Kitchen Assistant Update: She’s definitely got t Kitchen Assistant Update: She’s definitely got the puppy dog eyes mastered. 😍It’s amazing how quickly labs learn what works. Like chewing electrical cords won’t get you treats, but this choice will. @heath_woodlief
Who struggles with carb consumption? 🙋🏻‍♀️⁣⁣I hope these keto (low-carb) stuffed peppers may just inspire you. No rice, my friends. No rice.  My kids even ate them, which speaks volumes of their tasty goodness.😉 ⁣⁣For a true paleo diet, ditch the sour cream and top with avocado.⁣⁣Use the link in bio for the recipe, which includes the easy formula so you can buy the right amount of peppers and meat. Because Lord knows we could all use a little help at the grocery store. 😅
Hand up if you have a problem with Cadbury Creme E Hand up if you have a problem with Cadbury Creme Eggs this time of year...🙋🏻‍♀️😆 Mine is so intense, I dreamt up these Cadbury Creme Egg French Macarons. ⁣😱⁣From scratch, gluten-free, and while still sweet, absolutely no mystery ingredients to be found.⁣😁⁣That is all. ⁣⁣The recipe for chocolate macarons is in my bio link.  Fill with vanilla buttercream and this rich custard cream:⁣⁣INGREDIENTS⁣-4 egg yolks (about  2.25 ounces)⁣-⅓ cup granulated sugar (about 2.5 ounces)⁣-⅓ cup heavy cream (about 2.5 ounces)⁣-1½ teaspoons cornstarch (plus enough water to make a slurry)⁣-pinch of salt⁣-1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional⁣⁣METHOD⁣⁣1. In a small bowl, add drops of water to the cornstarch until you can stir it together to make a slurry (thick but pourable liquid).⁣2. Combine heavy cream and half the sugar in a small pot. ⁣Stir together egg yolks and the remaining half of sugar in a heat-proof bowl.⁣3. Bring heavy cream mixture just to a boil, then slowly drizzle into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly.⁣4. Once heavy cream is incorporated into egg yolks, whisk in the cornstarch slurry.⁣5. Pour the custard mixture back into the pot, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until bubbles break the surface. ⁣6. Strain into a clean bowl, and press plastic wrap on the top to cool.⁣7. Chill a couple of hours to set.
Fasting or avoiding meat tomorrow for Good Friday? Fasting or avoiding meat tomorrow for Good Friday?⁣⁣Here's a link to my write-up on how to cook sockeye salmon so it's succulent and tender EVERY time. And a few different ways to easily punch up the flavor. ⁣⁣Easy link in my bio for how to buy, grill, roast, pan-roast, glaze, and even marinate sockeye Nobu-style (miso + soy + wine).
For some reason these didn’t post yesterday with For some reason these didn’t post yesterday with the first photo. Entirely user error.😅 Happy Sunday, everyone. Link to recipe and chiffon cake method is in bio. P.S. If this is the first you’re seeing this one, it’s a gluten-free vanilla chiffon cake. And one with a little less sugar than most!
🌷Spring has sprung! Which is the excuse I’m u 🌷Spring has sprung! Which is the excuse I’m using for eating most of this cake myself this weekend. It would also be a nice, light dessert for Easter! ☀⁣⁣🍓🍰It’s gluten-free (or use wheat flour), can be dairy-free, and isn’t COMPLETELY loaded with sugar if you top it with plain whipped cream and seasonal fruit like berries.😩⁣⁣The secret to a super-moist cake? Soak it in simple syrup, or even liqueur. Then you don’t have to share it with the kids! ⁣⁣Easy link to grab is in my bio for recipe and technique! @lauraevelynwelch this is the one you were asking for... like five months ago I think. Finally got to it! 😅⁣⁣😎Happy weekend everyone. Hope you are able to enjoy some sunshine. ⁣
🐶🥰Happy National Puppy Day from the Edible T 🐶🥰Happy National Puppy Day from the Edible Times Kitchen Assistant!Training (and the lack of productivity) continues. If she had it her way, there’d be more recipes and videos with cheese and duck liver on the content calendar.😅
Jiggly, fluffy, YUMMY Japanese soufflé pancakes t Jiggly, fluffy, YUMMY Japanese soufflé pancakes that are gluten-free AND grain-free. I'll go out on a limb and say you can even eat them on a keto diet, as long as you ditch the maple syrup.😉🍁⁣⁣I spent a lot of time whipping egg whites, and am excited to share the ingredients and three recipes for pancakes that meet any diet's desires. Use bio link for more!@foodblogfeed@thefeedfeed.glutenfree
Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 · Refined theme by Restored 316