Pain perdu, which translates to ‘lost bread’ in French, is the original French toast. It was created to give stale bread a second life, transforming yesterday’s loaf into one of France’s most beloved breakfasts. Thick slices of day-old brioche soak in a rich vanilla custard of eggs, milk, and cream before being pan fried in butter until crisp and deep golden on the outside, while remaining tender and custardy within.
At Le ChĂȘne in New York City, chef Alexia DuchĂȘne puts her own spin on the classic, finishing each serving with homemade salted caramel sauce, whipped mascarpone cream, and a sprinkle of salt. The result is an elegant yet surprisingly approachable dish, equally at home at a holiday brunch or as a dinner party dessert.
What Is Pain Perdu?
Pain perdu is the classic French toast. The two dishes share the same basic technique: bread soaked in an egg and dairy custard, then cooked until golden and crisp outside while staying tender within. Pain perdu traditionally emphasizes giving stale bread a second life, whereas modern American French toast recipes often use thinner slices of bread that have been dried out in the oven. DuchĂȘne’s version stays true to its French roots by using day old brioche and finishing it with salted caramel and whipped mascarpone cream.
Choosing the Right Bread
Brioche is the traditional choice because its rich, buttery crumb absorbs plenty of custard without falling apart. Challah or another sturdy enriched loaf also works beautifully, especially if it is a day or two old.
Day old brioche is ideal because it absorbs more custard without becoming soggy or falling apart, which is the very reason pain perdu was invented. If your bread is fresh, arrange slices on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees until dry to the touch, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly before soaking.
Make Ahead Tips
You can prepare the salted caramel sauce up to one week ahead and the whipped mascarpone cream up to one day ahead, both refrigerated. For the best texture, soak and cook the bread just before serving so the exterior stays crisp while the center remains soft and custardy.
For more French classics, look to Bistro-Style Croque Monsieur, Poulet RĂŽti, Ratatouille, and Dover Sole MeuniĂšre.
Salted Caramel Sauce
Heat Ÿ cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat until warm, then keep it over low heat until ready to use.
Meanwhile, heat 1 cup granulated sugar in a large skillet over medium heat, swirling the pan if needed, until melted, 5 to 7 minutes. Continue cooking the caramel, swirling the pan occasionally, until it turns deep mahogany and wisps of smoke rise from the surface. The bubbling will lessen slightly. This will take 8 to 12 minutes more. Watch carefully, as the caramel can go from perfectly caramelized to burnt very quickly. It is better to skew toward over caramelized than under.
Whisking constantly, carefully pour the warm cream into the caramel. Remove the pan from heat and stir in 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces. Let cool slightly, then season with fleur de sel or kosher salt. Set the sauce aside.
The sauce can be made one week ahead. Transfer to an airtight container, cover, and chill. Reheat over low before using.
Whipped Mascarpone Cream
Vigorously whisk together 1Œ cups chilled heavy cream, Œ cup mascarpone, and Œ cup powdered sugar in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Scrape in seeds from œ vanilla bean, split lengthwise; discard the pod or reserve it for another use. If using 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract instead, add them and then taste, adding more if needed. Set the cream aside.
The whipped mascarpone cream can be made one day ahead; cover and chill.
Soaking and Cooking the Brioche
Whisk 4 large eggs and â cup granulated sugar in a large bowl until frothy. Scrape in seeds from Âœ vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or add 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract. Whisk until smooth, then add 1ÂŒ cups whole milk, Âœ cup heavy cream, and a pinch of kosher salt. Whisk the custard until no streaks of unincorporated egg remain.
Working with one slice at a time, submerge slices of day old brioche, cut 1œ inches thick, in the custard. Let them soak long enough to saturate, but not so long that they fall apart. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.
Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat. Working with 2 or 3 slices, cook the bread until golden brown underneath, 2 to 5 minutes. Turn the slices, reduce the heat to medium low, add 1 tablespoon butter, and cook until browned on the other side, 2 to 5 minutes. Transfer to plates. Repeat with the remaining bread over medium low heat, working in batches of 2 or 3 slices and adding more butter as needed.
Finishing the Dish
Top the pain perdu with a dollop of whipped mascarpone cream, then spoon the salted caramel sauce over and sprinkle with fleur de sel or flaky sea salt.
This elegant twist on classic French toast is surprisingly approachable, equally at home at holiday brunch or served as a dinner party dessert.
