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Turn stale bread slices into delicious thick French Toast infused with creamy custard and matcha flavor all over. This overnight French toast recipe is easy to put together and ready for you to cook for breakfast the next day. The recipe can be made vegan too.
My kids love French toast and I probably don’t make them enough though LOL! Now that I bake lots of bread, there are no more reasons not to make some French toast, matcha French toast to be exact. Of course, matcha French toast is a bit unorthodox, but if you know me, I’m a person who tries to sneak matcha and pandan flavor into a lot of my baked goods whenever I can.
What is pain perdu ?
“Pain perdu” and “French toast” are essentially the same dish. “Pain perdu” is the French term for what is commonly known as “French toast” in English. The literal translation of “pain perdu” is “lost bread,” which reflects its traditional purpose: to use up stale or leftover bread that might otherwise go to waste. In both cases, the dish involves dipping slices of bread into a mixture of eggs, milk or cream, and often sugar and spices, and then cooking them until they’re golden brown. The result is a delicious, custardy treat that can be served with various toppings and flavorings, such as maple syrup, powdered sugar, or fresh fruit.
Do I have to wait for overnight?
Well, if you must cook on the same day, you can. I encourage you to soak the bread for at least 4 hours if possible. Trust me, the flavor of the custard and all the goodness really gets soaked up by the bread nicely.
What if I don’t have stale bread?
If you use freshly made bread, cut them and then bake them briefly in the oven at 300 F (150 C) for 10 minutes to dry them out. You can also cut them into thick slices and put on cooling rack and leave them out overnight to dry out if you plan ahead. Why do we want to dry out the bread ? then only the bread will soak up all the custard and give you a soft custardy French toast. If you use freshly made bread without drying them, your French toast will turn mushy and soggy and won’t be able to absorb much flavor.
Overnight Matcha French Toast (Pain Perdu)
Ingredients
- 6 1-inch thick slices of stale bread brioche, challah, shokupan, French bread, babka
Custard:
- 12 g ceremonial-grade matcha powder
- 1 Tbsp hot water
- 4 eggs omit for vegan version
- 4 Tbsp honey use agave nectar for vegan version
- 200 g whole milk non-dairy milk for vegan version
- 50 g heavy cream 36% fat. coconut cream for vegan version
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
For cooking:
- 85 g Unsalted butter divided. Use vegan butter for vegan version
Instructions
Prepare the bread:
- Cut the bread into 1-inch thick slices. If you use freshly made bread, bake the slices of bread in the oven at 350 F (180 C) for 5 minutes to dry them out or if you plan ahead, leave the slices of bread out on the counter overnight for them to dry out
Prepare the custard:
- For vegan version, use 4 Tbsp of ground flaxseeds meal + 180 grams (3/4 cup) of water to replace 4 eggs. Combine and let it sit for 10 minutes until thicken. The longer it sits, the thicker it gets, like a gel. Then proceed
- Mix matcha powder with hot water to form a thick paste. If you add the matcha powder to the custard without mixing it with hot water, it won't get mixed properly
- Whisk eggs (or flax eggs) and honey/agave nectar until combined and no more lumps from the egg whites. Add the matcha paste, milk, cream, vanilla, and salt and whisk again until the custard is smooth and no lumps
Soak the bread slices:
- Arrange the bread slices on a 9 x 13 x 2 inches dish. Pour the custard mixture over the bread slices. Cover and let them refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours (no longer than that). Remember to flip the bread 2-3 times during this soaking time to make sure they are evenly soaked on both sides
- By the end of soaking, you will see that almost all of the custard has gone and got soaked up by the bread slices.
Cooking:
- Preheat oven to 200 F (93 C) to keep the French toast warm while you are cooking. Set a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet
- Heat up a griddle or a large non-stick pan over medium heat. If you use an electric griddle, preheat to 350 F (180 C). Melt about 2 Tbsp of butter (about 30 grams) on the pan. Place two slices of the bread on the pan and fry over medium-low heat until the edges looks set and dry, but the center is still custardy, about 3 minutes. Control the heat
- Flip the French toast over and cook the other side until the center springs back lightly when you press on it, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack inside the oven. You can loosely tent the toast with aluminum foil if you want, though not necessary
- Repeat cooking the second batch, melt another 2 Tbsp of butter and repeat the same process again. Keep them warm in the oven until you are ready to serve them. This way the outside crust is still crisp but the inside are custardy and soft
To serve:
- Serve with maple syrup,fresh fruit, granola, whipped cream, or anything your heart desires 🙂
*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*
Important tips
1. Use the Right Bread
Choose a thick, day-old enriched bread like brioche, challah, French bread or enriched white bread like shokupan works well too. You want bread with good close crumbs. Stale bread is a must for this recipe. The bread will absorb the custard mixture better without becoming too soggy.
2. Create a Flavorful Custard
Whisk together eggs, matcha paste, milk (or cream), honey, vanilla, and salt until the mixture is homogenous (no lumps)
3. Let the Custard Soak
Since this is an overnight French toast recipe, you need at least 4-hour of soaking time.
4. Preheat the Griddle or Pan
Use a griddle or non-stick skillet and preheat it over medium heat. You can add a small amount of butter or cooking oil to prevent sticking and add flavor.
5. Cooking Temperature
Don’t cook on high heat; medium-low to medium heat is ideal. This ensures that the inside of the toast cooks without burning the outside.
6. Cook Evenly
Cook until both sides are golden brown, usually about 2-3 minutes per side. You want the inside to be cooked through but still slightly soft, not dry.
7. Use a Lid or Foil Tent
To help the inside cook, you can cover the pan with a lid or create a foil tent over the French toast. This traps heat and steam, ensuring the interior gets properly cooked.
8. Keep Warm in the Oven
If you’re making multiple servings, keep the finished French toast warm in a preheated oven (around 200°F or 93°C) on a baking sheet while you cook the rest.
9. Don’t Overcrowd the Pan
Cook in batches if necessary. Overcrowding the pan can make it difficult to flip and cook the French toast evenly.
How to make overnight pain perdu
1. You need to use day-old bread to make a really good French toast. Enriched bread made the best French toast. You can use challah, brioche, shokupan, or even babka. I use my matcha-swirled shokupan bread that has been 2-day old, which I actually intentionally made for this reason.
2. Cut the bread into 1-inch thick slices. If you use freshly made bread, bake the slices of bread in the oven at 350 F (180 C) for 5 minutes to dry them out or if you plan ahead, leave the slices of bread out on the counter overnight for them to dry out
3. Mix matcha powder with hot water to form a thick paste. If you add the matcha powder to the custard without mixing it with hot water, it won’t get mixed properly
4. Whisk eggs and honey until combined and no more lumps from the egg whites. Add the matcha paste, milk, cream, vanilla, and salt and whisk again until the custard is smooth and no lumps
5. Arrange the bread slices on a 9 x 13 x 2 inches dish. 
6. Pour the custard mixture over the bread slices. Cover and let them refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours (no longer than that). 
7. Remember to flip the bread 2-3 times during this soaking time to make sure they are evenly soaked on both sides
8. By the end of soaking, you will see that almost all of the custard has gone and got soaked up by the bread slices.
9. Preheat oven to 200 F (93 C) to keep the French toast warm while you are cooking. Set a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet. Heat up a griddle or a large non-stick pan over medium heat. If you use an electric griddle, preheat to 350 F (180 C).
10. Melt about 2 Tbsp of butter (about 30 grams) on the pan. Place two slices of the bread on the pan and fry over medium-low heat until the edges looks set and dry, but the center is still custardy, about 3 minutes. Control the heat. Flip the French toast over and cook the other side until the center springs back lightly when you press on it, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack inside the oven. You can loosely tent the toast with aluminum foil if you want, though not necessary
11. Repeat cooking the second batch, melt another 2 Tbsp of butter and repeat the same process again. Keep them warm in the oven until you are ready to serve them. This way the outside crust is still crisp but the inside are custardy and soft. Serve with maple syrup,fresh fruit, granola, whipped cream, or anything your heart desires
How to store and reheat leftover French toast
The texture of reheated French toast might not be exactly the same as when it’s freshly made, but it can still be a convenient and tasty breakfast option when stored and reheated correctly. Here are how to do that:
1. Allow to Cool: Let the French toast cool to room temperature before attempting to store it. This will prevent condensation inside the storage container.
2. Refrigeration: If you plan to consume the leftovers within a day or two, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can stack the slices with parchment paper or wax paper in between to prevent them from sticking together.
3. Freezing (for longer storage): If you want to store French toast for an extended period, freezing is a great option. Allow the French toast slices to cool completely. Place the slices on a baking sheet or tray, ensuring they are not touching, and put them in the freezer for a couple of hours until they’re firm. Once they are frozen, transfer the slices to a freezer-safe, airtight container or zip-top bags. You can separate them with parchment paper or plastic wrap to prevent sticking. Keep in the freezer for no more than one month for the best result
How to reheat leftover French toast
When you’re ready to enjoy the leftover French toast, you can reheat it from the refrigerator by using a toaster, toaster oven, or microwave. If it’s frozen, you can reheat it directly from the freezer, but you may need to add a little extra time to the heating process. To reheat with a toaster oven, preheat it to 350 F (180 C) and then bake for about 5 minutes or until crisp on the outside and warm through. If it’s frozen, you may need to add another 5 minutes or so. To reheat on the stove, melt a tablespoon of butter and then place the toast on the pan and heat for about 2-3 minutes on each side until heated through. Add a few more minutes if they are frozen.
Did you make this overnight matcha French toast (Pain Perdu) recipe?
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