Mixed summer berry pain perdu recipe

By Sybil Kapoor

Serves 4
Ready in 25 minutes
Rate 1 star Rate 2 stars Rate 3 stars Rate 4 stars Rate 5 stars
Rating

This dessert recipe is the perfect way to use up stale white bread, and it can make a lovely summer holiday brunch. Vary the summer berries according to whatever is available.

Ingredients

75g butter
225g strawberries
125g redcurrants or blackcurrants
4-5 tbsp caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
200g raspberries
5 medium free-range egg yolks
3 tbsp white wine or sherry
4 bread slices, cut from a loaf
Clotted cream or double cream, to serve

Method

1. Slowly melt the butter in a small saucepan over a very low heat for about 12 minutes. It will gradually throw up a pale golden froth. Hold this back with a spoon, and pour the clear gold liquid underneath (clarified butter) into a non-stick frying pan. Take care not to pour in any of the milky liquid from the bottom of the pan.
2. Meanwhile, wash, hull and halve the strawberries. Strip the redcurrants or blackcurrants from their stems. Place both in a saucepan with 3 tablespoons of the sugar (you’ll need the extra tablespoon if you’re using blackcurrants). Set over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and mix in the raspberries. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat together the egg yolks and wine or sherry and stir in the remaining tablespoon of sugar.
4. Set the frying pan with the clarified butter over a medium heat. Dip the slices of bread into the egg mixture, so that they become well soaked, then fry them in the clarified butter (in batches, if necessary) for about 2-3 minutes each side or until golden and slightly crisp.
5. Remove from the heat and place 1 slice of pain perdu on each of 4 serving plates. Spoon over the juicy fruit and sprinkle with some extra caster sugar. Serve the pain perdu with a dollop of clotted cream, or some double cream, to pour over.