I still don't know how he did it. Maybe it was the yearning for French toast and bacon that lit a fire in his belly to win almost every round. Maybe it was this craving for the sweet and decadent breakfast, which I don't cook too often, that assisted his victory. And to tell you the truth, I didn't mind losing on that specific occasion.
The next morning after the squawking magpies drove me out of bed, I hurried to the shop. I truly believe that only the finest ingredients should be used to make French toast. I cannot stand the thought of bland, soggy 'eggy bread'. No, I like my crisp on the outside, fluffy in the middle, and covered in maple syrup. French toast should have a slight spice to it and then be bound with just the right amount of sweet and savoury. It should melt perfectly, seductfully in your mouth.
These are incredibly sweet, and coated in butter. But hey, they aren't made to be healthy, they are made to be delicious. And that is the reason why I don't cook them too much. A treat.
For the toast you will need:
Fresh bread - I used a loaf that had a nutty taste to it from a wood fired bakery.
Free range eggs - depending on bread thickness, usually 1 egg per slice
Milk
Cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Butter for frying
To top:
As much good quality bacon as you please
Fresh fruit
Vanilla ice cream
Good quality maple syrup
One small bar of Cadbury chocolate
Canola oil
Slice your bread to your desired thickness, I prefer thicker. Turn your oven onto about 50 degrees Celsius to keep each piece of toast warm as you cook them one at a time. In a bowl whisk the required number of eggs with about two tablespoons of milk per egg. Add two large pinches of cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Melt one tablespoon of butter in a non-stick frying pan on a medium to high heat. While the butter is melting put your first piece of bread into the egg mixture. Push it down with your finger tips, turn it over, make sure it is completely covered, and then let it sit for a minute.
Once the butter is melted and the bread is soaked, carefully place it into the frying pan. There should be a delightful sizzling sound. Leave it for a couple of minutes and in the mean time, get your bacon frying in a seperate pan. I like to fry my bacon in quite a lot of oil at a reasonably high heat to make it nice and crispy.
Every minute or so, gently lift a corner of your bread with some tongs to check the underside. When it's ready it should be a dark brown in colour and crispy in texture. Once cooked flip it over and repeat with the other side.
Keep each piece of toast warm in the oven while you cook the rest and finish cooking the bacon. Once everything is cooked and waiting patiently in the oven melt your chocolate bar. For such a small amount of chocolate I just simply break it up into a microwave save bowl. Add a dash of canola oil and microwave it 20 seconds at a time, stirring in-between until it is all melted.
Now assemble your mouthwatering mountain. Pile it up. Make it high. Make it pretty, and then demolish it. For mine I spread a layer of chocolate on each piece of toast, piled the bacon in the middle, let the strawberries fall where they pleased, topped it with ice cream and then drizzled the magnificent syrup on top.
Ta da! You are done. Sit down, enjoy, and relax. It's holiday season, the season of indulgence!
-Fee
