Pain Perdu

In honor of this month’s Bastille Day (July 14), commemorating the birth of the French republic, I offer this plant-based version of traditional French toast.

It is also known as pain perdu (lost bread) because it features day-old bread that would otherwise be tossed out (lost) if not upcycled into this Americanized version of a classic French recipe.

This breakfast/brunch favorite is also called gypsy toast and eggy bread, but of course, there’s no egg in this recipe, with blended tofu and plant milk sitting in for the soaking liquid. When cooked, the result is very familiar – slightly caramelized around the edges and custard-like on the inside.

To transport this French toast to French Polynesia, top it with fresh, seasonal fruit, with crushed Tropical Clean Snax® sprinkled on top for some texture and crunch. Drizzled with pure maple syrup, this pain perdu is special enough to serve as dessert, if you’re so inclined. No matter when you enjoy this dish, Bon Appétit!

Pain Perdu
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 package soft tofu, drained
½ cup almond or oat milk
¼ cup water
½ cup Melissa’s Honeycomb
½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
8 slices day-old bread, ¾” thick
8 teaspoons plant-based “butter”
1 cup pineapple, diced
1 cup mango, diced
1 cup banana, diced
¾ cup Tropical Clean Snax®, crushed
Pure maple syrup

Directions:
Blend the tofu, milk, water, honeycomb, extract, cinnamon and salt until smooth and creamy. Pour into a shallow casserole dish, bowl or pie pan.

Melt 1 teaspoon butter in a sauté or fry pan over medium-high heat.

Dip each piece of bread into the batter, about 10 seconds per side.

Add the bread to the pan and cook about 3 minutes per side, until browned around the edges.

Remove from the pan, top with diced fruit and crushed Clean Snax®, and drizzle with maple syrup.