Big Bad Breakfast's pain perdu
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Dear SOS: During a trip to Mississippi, we ate a memorable meal at Big Bad Breakfast in Oxford. The brandy-spiked pain perdu was a standout. As I don’t anticipate being back soon, is there any chance you can obtain the recipe?
Kay Behrens
Claremont
Dear Kay: How can you go wrong with this breakfast? Take fluffy, thick slices of Texas toast soaked in a lightly sweetened, brandy-spiked batter, then pan-fry them to crisp, golden perfection. Serve the slices with a dollop of fresh-whipped chantilly cream and garnished with a handful of berries. I can’t think of a better way to start the day. Enjoy!
Chantilly cream
In a large bowl, whisk the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until needed; the chantilly cream can be made up to 1 hour in advance.
Pain perdu and assembly
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, half-and-half and brandy until thoroughly combined to make the batter.
Add enough oil to come up the sides of a deep cast iron skillet by about 1 inch. Heat the oil until a thermometer inserted reaches 325 degrees.
Halve the bread slices diagonally. Dredge a couple slices in the batter until both sides are thoroughly soaked. Lift the slices out of the batter and allow to drain briefly.
Carefully place the bread into the fry oil and fry each side until golden-brown, approximately 1 minute per side.
Remove the toast from the oil and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining slices until all are fried.
Serve the pain perdu, three pieces to a plate. Garnish as desired. The restaurant serves the dish topped with powdered sugar, berries and chantilly cream.
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