Darjeeling Tea Pain Perdu with Condensed Milk Butter Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Fry

by: Aliwaks

February11,2013

4.5

2 Ratings

  • Prep time 2 hours 15 minutes
  • Cook time 15 minutes
  • Serves 2

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

Way back in 1978, my mother took my brother and me on an enormous adventure. We spent the summer months on a commune in Pune, India. Not to go too far into our family dynamics, but suffice it to say that my brother (5 yrs old) and I (8 yrs old) learned a lot about being independent while we explored our new world. We both developed a taste for mango ice cream, naan, and grilled corn but our days almost always began with thick sliced toast that I grilled for us on a Franklin stove located on the veranda and a mug of very strong tea (made from water boiled on that same stove), both of which we would generously lace with sweetened condensed milk. Thus fortified, we would head out to the Ashram to see what trouble we could avoid getting ourselves into. To this whenever I think of India, I can taste the slightly burned edges of toast and sweet, sticky condensed milk. I can feel the edge of a tin cup filled with sweet sweet fragrant milky tea. So I came up with this recipe. It mirrors the tastes and smells of those early mornings, just me and my brother getting ourselves ready to face the day's adventures. To read a bit more about our adventures, click here: http://waksingpoetic.com/2012/02/06/condensed-milk/ —Aliwaks

Test Kitchen Notes

This is very delicious French toast. The tea flavor was mild but noticeable, the sugar crisped up nicely while frying, and I liked the condensed milk butter very much -- I will definitely be making it again for other treats. The substantial soak time gives each slice that soft, custardy texture without any mushiness. Next time, I'll cut the sugar a bit and add some extra tea into the condensed milk butter. This makes the perfect decadent weekend breakfast. —Omeletta

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • For the condensed milk butter
  • 4 ouncessweet (unsalted) butter, softened
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/4 cuppowdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoonsflaky salt
  • For the Darjeeling tea pain perdu
  • 4 1-inch thick slices day old brioche
  • 1 1/2 cupsheavy cream
  • 4 bags Darjeeling tea, or 4 tablespoons tea leaves
  • 1 split vanilla bean
  • 2 tablespoonshoney
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 pinchsalt
  • 1/4 cupraw sugar
  • 3 tablespoonsclarified butter or ghee
Directions
  1. For the condensed milk butter
  2. Beat butter and sugar with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a standing mixer on high, until creamy and light.
  3. With mixer running, slowly pour in condensed milk to incorporate.
  4. Turn off mixer and fold in salt.
  5. The butter will keep for a few days in the fridge.
  1. For the Darjeeling tea pain perdu
  2. Combine cream, vanilla bean, tea, and honey in a saucepan.
  3. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and let simmer 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit at least 1 hour. Strain and cool. (You can do this a day ahead.)
  4. Whisk eggs with salt. Whisk cooled cream into eggs slowly.
  5. Dip bread into cream/egg mixture and set in baking dish, letting everything soak in well.
  6. Pour remaining cream/egg mixture over top and let sit for at least an hour or refrigerate overnight.
  7. Heat butter in a saute pan over medium high heat.
  8. Sprinkle bread with raw sugar. Fry first on the non-sugared side, then flip, making sure to cook all the way through.
  9. Serve warm with a healthy dollop of condensed milk butter.

Tags:

  • Indian
  • Egg
  • Bean
  • Butter
  • Honey
  • Milk/Cream
  • Fry
  • Breakfast
  • Dessert
Contest Entries
  • Your Best Recipe with Tea

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • alienor

  • Aliwaks

  • foxeslovelemons

  • creamtea

  • Midge

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12 Reviews

Matt L. July 15, 2014

I love pain perdu - though must admit I cook it slightly differently to make sure you get the crunch on the outside and the soft melting inside. Tea flavour is an interesting twist - I love it with lemon custard served like eggs and soldiers - www.timedeating.co.uk/dessert-egg-soldiers

RonnieG March 11, 2013

Too high in fat yo enjoy!

alienor March 10, 2013

killer french toast is right! who would even on a splurge use one and 1/2 cups of heavy cream for two people for breakfast. i woul ave to starve myself for the rest of the day. this is much too indulgent...

Aliwaks March 10, 2013

Save it for dessert ... To share like bread pudding! Also you can sub part of the cream for milk, whole, skim... Even could try using all hazelnut, coconut or almond milk.

ustabahippie March 10, 2013

Oh the 1970's were a wonderful era! I'm going to try this recipe soon!

corcooks44 March 10, 2013

This recipe really caught my eye this morning; not only do I love the inspiration behind the recipe, but the actual aspects of the recipe itself. The custard. The sugar. I can't wait to try this at home. Thank you for sharing.

Aliwaks March 8, 2013

THANK YOU for CP!!!!!

Musebe March 7, 2013

I love the inspiration behind this recipe.
Is it necessary to use clarified butter or ghee, I have neither in my pantry?

Aliwaks March 8, 2013

Thank you, it was a wild time.
You can use regular butter, just watch it carefully, it burns easier (esp w the sugar side) (btw easy to clarify butter and it keeps well in the fridge, great to have on hand) http://food52.com/blog/5871-how-to-make-clarified-butter-and-ghee

foxeslovelemons March 7, 2013

Congrats on the CP! While I'm not normally a huge french toast fan (bad childhood experiences with terrible versions of it, probably), but I may have to try this recipe and see if my tastes have changed.

creamtea February 15, 2013

"we would head out to the Ashram to see what trouble we could avoid getting ourselves into". I love this anecdote :) And the recipe!

Midge February 14, 2013

What an amazing experience and memory. And killer-sounding French toast.

Darjeeling Tea Pain Perdu with Condensed Milk Butter Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What type of bread is pain perdu made from? ›

Originally from New Orleans, pain perdu is made using thick slices of French bread soaked in a sweet custard batter. It's lightly cooked in a pan first, then baked 'til golden brown.

What breakfast delight was originally called pain perdu or lost bread? ›

Pain Perdu - Lost Bread, a.k.a. French Toast.

What is pain perdu known as in English? ›

le pain perdu : French toast, eggy bread nom masculin. Literally, « le pain perdu » means « lost bread ». The bread needs to be a few days old for the recipe to work well.

Why do the French call it pain perdu? ›

The usual French name is pain perdu (French: [pɛ̃ pɛʁdy] 'lost bread', reflecting its use of stale or otherwise "lost" bread. It may also be called pain doré 'golden bread' in Canada. There are fifteenth-century English recipes for pain perdu.

What do the British call French toast? ›

The British call french toast “eggy bread," “gypsy bread" or “french-fried bread." And sometimes they serve it with ketchup.

Do French eat pain perdu? ›

A staple food in France, French toast is named “Pain perdu” which translates literally to lost bread, reflecting the use of stale bread so it doesn't get “lost”. These slices of breads dunked in an eggy mixture and toasted in a pan are comforting, sweet and tender – and a breeze to make at home.

What was the Roman style of French toast called? ›

In their style of French toast, called Pan Dulcis, Romans would soak bread in a milk and egg mixture, then fry it in oil or butter.

What is pain perdu made of? ›

French bread soaked in sweetened milk, cream and eggs, then pan-fried in butter with a crispy finish of caramelized brown sugar and cinnamon

What kind of bread is used for French toast? ›

Look for bread that is labeled “hearty,” “thick-cut,” or “Texas toast.” Thin slices are more likely to collapse when soaked. You can also opt for a pullman loaf and slice the bread yourself to your desired thickness. Sliced wheat bread also makes good French toast, but might require a little extra soaking time.

What are the three types of French bread? ›

  • What are the different types of French bread? Making and eating bread is a way of life in France. ...
  • Baguette. If you can name any French bread, it is sure to be la baguette. ...
  • Pain d'épi. ...
  • Brioche. ...
  • Pain de campagne. ...
  • Fougasse. ...
  • Pain complet. ...
  • Pain aux noix.
Nov 13, 2023

What is the difference between po boy bread and French bread? ›

"Po' boy bread" is a local style of French bread traditionally made with less flour and more water than a traditional baguette, yielding a wetter dough that produces a lighter and fluffier bread that is less chewy.

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