Rum-Spiked French Toast

by Nigella

Introduction

This is my favourite French toast recipe of all time, and yet I don’t make it nearly enough. It came into my life some years back when I had a small bit of old-fashioned sandwich loaf that needed using up and, indeed, went on to suggest it in my introduction to the recipe in Cook, Eat, Repeat. But the thing is, it's not very often that an old-fashioned sandwich loaf lasts long enough in my house to need using up. I know it looks a bit like vegemite toast in its picture, but it tastes gloriously rather like rum baba! And though it might sound odd, I like this best of all when it's left to get cold once the syrup’s poured over it, and I can pick it up and eat it by hand as if it were a fine pastry.

You don’t need to use the sandwich loaf to make it, but don’t use plastic sliced white is all I ask. And should you wish to add berries, banana or cubes of mango on the side or sprinkle toasted flaked almonds on top, go right ahead!

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

Image of Nigella's Rum-Spiked French Toast — Photo by Jonathan Lovekin

(UK only)

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Ingredients

Serves: 2 (though it’s also the perfect amount for one greedy person)

Metric Cups

2 slices slightly stale white bread cut from a loaf
2 x 15ml tablespoons (40g) golden syrup
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 large egg
2 x 15ml tablespoons (30ml) full fat milk
1 x 15ml tablespoon (15ml) plus 1 teaspoon (5ml) rum
1 x 15ml tablespoon (15g) soft dark brown sugar
2 - 3 x 15ml tablespoons (30 - 45g) soft unsalted butter (or more as desired)

To serve (optional)

1 mango (cut into cubes)

2 slices slightly stale white bread cut from a loaf
2 tablespoons (40g) golden syrup or light corn syrup
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (30ml) whole milk
1 tablespoon (15ml) plus 1 teaspoon (5ml) rum
1 tablespoon (15g) soft dark brown sugar
2 - 3 tablespoons (30 - 45g) soft unsalted butter (or more as desired)

To serve (optional)

1 mango (cut into cubes)

Method

Cut two thinnish slices of slightly stale bread, and then cut each slice into two triangles. If your bread isn’t stale, just leave the triangles out for a couple of hours or so (or overnight, if that helps) to dry out.
You may as well get on with the syrup first, so mix together the golden syrup and one teaspoon each of rum and maple syrup. Leave on one side while you deal with the steeping and frying of the bread.
In a dish — I use a Pyrex one measuring 25cm x 20cm / 10 x 8 inches which is just the perfect size — whisk a large egg with the milk and a tablespoon each of soft dark brown sugar and rum. Add the four triangles of bread to the dish and let them steep for two minutes a side, or until they’ve drunk all the rum-spiked sugary milk.
If you want to fry these all in one batch, you’ll need a 28cm / 12-inch-diameter non-stick frying pan, though obviously you can do it in two batches in a smaller pan. Heat the butter in the frying pan, and once it’s melted and beginning to bubble, fry the bread for 3½ - 4 minutes a side, or until cooked through and crisped and browned in places. Remove to a couple of plates.
Pour over the syrup and, if you wish, add some cubes of mango to the plate, too. This is the stage at which I leave my syrup-sodden French toast to get cold, adding a few mango cubes later, if the mood takes me, but I’m more than happy for you to tuck in straightaway!

Cut two thinnish slices of slightly stale bread, and then cut each slice into two triangles. If your bread isn’t stale, just leave the triangles out for a couple of hours or so (or overnight, if that helps) to dry out.
You may as well get on with the syrup first, so mix together the golden syrup or light corn syrup and one teaspoon each of rum and maple syrup. Leave on one side while you deal with the steeping and frying of the bread.
In a dish — I use a Pyrex one measuring 25cm x 20cm / 10 x 8 inches which is just the perfect size — whisk a large egg with the milk and a tablespoon each of soft dark brown sugar and rum. Add the four triangles of bread to the dish and let them steep for two minutes a side, or until they’ve drunk all the rum-spiked sugary milk.
If you want to fry these all in one batch, you’ll need a 28cm / 12-inch-diameter non-stick frying pan, though obviously you can do it in two batches in a smaller pan. Heat the butter in the frying pan, and once it’s melted and beginning to bubble, fry the bread for 3½ - 4 minutes a side, or until cooked through and crisped and browned in places. Remove to a couple of plates.
Pour over the syrup and, if you wish, add some cubes of mango to the plate, too. This is the stage at which I leave my syrup-sodden French toast to get cold, adding a few mango cubes later, if the mood takes me, but I’m more than happy for you to tuck in straightaway!