French toast is evocative of long brunches in America. However, imagine yourself on a French mountainside and it is that thoroughly irresistible pain perdu that probably gave the US its inspiration. For our British issue, I’ve made a version with new-season squashes, which are all over farmers’ markets right now. The squash gives the caramel a wonderful flavour and tames its sweetness.
French toast with salted caramel pumpkin puree
The sweet-savoury flavour of pumpkin softens the dark, salted caramel and gives it a gorgeous deep shade of tangerine.
Prep 30 min
Cook 45 min
Serves 4-6
½ small pumpkin or squash
200g caster sugar
50g butter
100ml double cream
3-4 tbsp dark rum or aged tequila
½ lemon
Salt
For the french toast
4 eggs
175ml whole milk
6 slices white bread
75g butter
Vanilla ice-cream, cream or yoghurt, to serve
Peel and cut the squash into equal 3-5cm chunks. Put in a steamer and cook for about 25 minutes, until tender to the point of a sharp knife. Remove the pan from heat and leave the squash uncovered to steam-dry.
To make the caramel, put the sugar in a heavy-based pan and pour over four tablespoons of water. Set over a medium heat and keep an eye on it as the sugar melts and turns a deep, dark caramel colour, and the water evaporates. Just before it starts smoking, quickly add the butter, cream and rum, and stir vigorously until you have a smooth, silky caramel.
Put 350g squash flesh into a bowl, pour over the caramel and . Use a stick blender to whizz until you have a smooth sauce. Taste, season with a little lemon juice and a few pinches of salt, and keep warm.
To make the french toast, whisk together the eggs and milk, submerge the bread in the mix and leave for 10-15 minutes.
Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add one to two tablespoons of the butter and, once hot, fry one to two slices of the bread at a time, turning once the bottom is golden – three to four minutes. Set aside on a warm plate and repeat until all the toast is done. Dollop over scoops of the pumpkin caramel, season with a scrunch of sea salt, then serve with vanilla ice-cream, thick cream or Greek yoghurt.
And for the rest of the week
There is usually some leftover puree, so stir it through Greek yoghurt for breakfast with a touch of granola. Leftover pumpkin is delicious in a fiery Thai curry, and would make a lovely autumnal soup.
