The Brekkie Series: Buttermilk French Toast Recipe

I have been asked to please post up recipes of all the breakfast items I create daily for Alessi & Adrianna. I have been making French Toast since like forever, but its always Egg-Sugar-Milk-Bread-pan fry. Its quite yummy...

But I thought why milk when cream and buttermilk is so much better as a base ingredient. I googled online and true enough... there is such a thing as Buttermilk French Toast. So after only just 3 trial & error session, here's my fav rendition for the kids. Why is it my fav rendition? Because the kids simply eat the most with this recipe. 

BUTTERMILK FRENCH TOAST RECIPE

INGREDIENTS
1.5 cups Buttermilk 
(if you don't have buttermilk, as per my pancake recipe, just pour 1.5 cups of cooking/whipping cream mix with 1.5tbsp of lemon juice/white vinegar and leave to stand for 5-10mins, to curdle up and stir to get it all clumpy)

4 eggs

3 tbsp brown/white sugar (I found brown sugar gives it a slightly smoky taste which is yummier)

1/4 tsp salt

TIP: You can add 1tsp Vanilla Extract and/or pinch of cinnamon powder and/or pinch of nutmeg. Different kids are different to these taste but vanilla is normally safe. My kids love it with VANILLA + CINNAMON + NUTMEG!

Whisk ALL INGREDIENTS above in a bowl, pour onto a large baking tin, add bread in 1 layer to soak up the liquid. Let the bread absorb but NOT until it is falling apart. Depends on types of bread, it can take anything from 5mins to 20mins.

Types of Bread to use:
5mins soak + turn over every 2.5mins: Traditional Hailam Bread (kopitiam style bread is best for kids as it is really soft, spongy & airy)
10mins soak + turn over every 5mins: Normal home Gardenia bread
20 mins soak + turn over every 5 mins: French loaf sliced - kids don't tend to like this as it is harder but adults like this one normally in fancy restaurants
TIP: If you have no patience like me to wait for the bread to soak up, use a fork to poke the bread to enable faster absorption, but you need to master this as it will easily cause the bread to start falling apart easily :)

Butter to fry the French Toast - of course, the more the merrier for me, but use it only enough to coat the pan. Heat non-stick pan, put a little butter. Letter the butter foam up a little then place the bread pieces onto the pan. 

Cook for about 1.5mins, TURN OVER ONCE, until it puffs slightly and is golden brown.
As you cook them, place them in the oven to keep them warm & fluffy

MY TIP: Instead of having to cook them 1 by 1 in a pan, I place them in the baking pan, put it in the oven of 180 degrees Celsius and leave to bake for about 15-20mins (depending type of bread use). Best to see the colour turning golden brown then it means its time to take out.

HOW TO SERVE:

• Maple Syrup
• Honey
• Cinnamon Sugar (just mix white/brown sugar + cinnamon powder)
• Fresh Fruits/Berries
• Sliced Bananas (Adrianna's fav)
• Whipped Cream (Alessi's fav)
• Sieved Icing Sugar
• Pumpkin Puree (both kids love it & its sweet yet healthy)

Make this an activity with the kids, it is so easy to do, they can help out in the kitchen, have fun and help you make the breakfast. You can multitask and entertain the kids at the same time. I do so with my 18mth old and 4 yr old! See this video of how I get the kids to do the work as an activity :)

ENJOY!!!!