Pain perdu with fresh berries

• 8 day-old brioche breadsliced about 2cm (¾-inch) thick
• 4 large eggs
• 120 ml whole milk
• 60 ml heavy cream
• 2 tbs granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 45 g unsalted butterdivided into three portions for cooking
• 150 g fresh strawberrieshulled and quartered
• 100 g fresh blueberries
• 75 g fresh raspberries
• 2 tbs powdered sugarfor dusting

1. 1

   Whisk the eggs, whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt together in a shallow dish until completely smooth with no streaks of egg white visible.

   Tip: A shallow dish works better than a bowl — more surface area means even soaking.

2. 2

   Lay 2-3 brioche slices in the custard mixture. Let them soak for about 30 seconds per side — the bread should feel heavy and saturated but not falling apart. Repeat with remaining slices, working in batches as space allows.

   Tip: Day-old brioche is ideal because it absorbs custard without disintegrating. If your bread is very fresh, let the slices sit uncovered on a wire rack for 20 minutes before soaking.

3. 3

   Melt about 15g of butter in the skillet over medium heat. When the butter foams and the foam starts to subside, add 2-3 soaked brioche slices. Cook until the bottoms are deep golden brown and caramelized, about 2-3 minutes.

   Tip: Don't rush — medium heat gives you that gorgeous even browning without burning the sugar in the custard.

4. 4

   Flip the slices and cook the second side until equally golden and the centers feel springy when pressed gently, another 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.

5. 5

   Wipe out the skillet, add another 15g of butter, and repeat with the remaining soaked brioche slices, cooking in batches until all pieces are golden and cooked through.

   Tip: Wiping out the skillet between batches prevents burned butter bits from sticking to your next round.

6. 6

   Arrange the pain perdu on plates, pile the fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries over the top, then dust generously with powdered sugar through a fine mesh strainer or by tapping it through a fork.

   Tip: Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated in a skillet over medium-low heat until warmed through and re-crisped, about 2 minutes per side.

• skillet (30cm (12-inch))
• shallow dish (23x33cm (9x13 inch))
• whisk
• cutting board
• spatula

Per serving

Nutritional values are estimates only.