French toast with lemon sugar

French toast – what better to make with not-so-fresh bread? In this Canadian-inspired version, lemon sugar replaces the usual cinnamon for an entirely new taste experience. By the way, the lemon sugar tastes amazing in tea, so don’t hesitate to make a bigger batch!

Makes 8 slices

400 ml (14 fl oz) milk

3 tbsp vanilla sugar

Grated zest of ½ lemon

2 large eggs

2 tbsp butter

8 slices day-old brioche

For the lemon sugar:

Grated zest of 1 lemon

½ cup (110 g) sugar

Also:

Icing (confectioners’) sugar, for sprinkling

Grated zest of 1 lemon, for garnish

For the lemon sugar, stir the grated lemon zest and sugar together in a small bowl until well combined. This is best done a few days in advance to allow the full lemon flavour to develop. Store in an airtight container.

Whisk the milk with the vanilla sugar, grated lemon zest and eggs in a large, shallow bowl. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Meanwhile, dip the brioche slices into the egg mixture for 15 seconds on each side. Transfer to the hot pan and fry until golden brown on each side. Be careful when flipping the toasts over, as they can fall apart easily. Add a little more butter to the pan as necessary.

Divide the toasts among plates in stacks to match your appetite and sprinkle generously with the lemon sugar. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm, garnished with grated lemon zest.