Helloooo Friday! Hope you guys had a good week, and have something awesome planned for the weekend! You know, I miss Hong Kong for many reasons and French toast sure is one of them. It's a typical item on the menu at cha chaan tengs and it is served all day but you'd really only get it for breakfast or afternoon tea which is around 3 to 4 p.m.
French toasts here in America is just not the same thing. The Hong Kong version is a simple tweak to the original that I think (oh I KNOW) most people would love it. I mean, we're talking about stuffing it with something delicious here! The original Hong Kong style French toast isn't something you would/should eat everyday though... butter, deep-fried, and syrup? Oh yea, it's a total guilty pleasure.
Since I can't get the kind of French toast that I love from a regular diner, I make them at home, my way! This is my take on how you'd eat French toast when you come have breakfast at my house. It might not an exact copycat of how a cha chaan teng would serve it but it's about the brilliant idea my friends (and a little healthier since it's not deep-fried)! Let's go over the simple ingredients real quick... sliced bread, butter, eggs, maple syrup, and peanut butter! Yep, PB is the secret ingredient. What's not to love about a PB sandwich dipped in eggs and pan-fried then drizzled with maple syrup?? Now that's what I call breakfast of champions!
I don't usually get sliced bread from Chinese bakeries but I happened to pass by one and since I was making Hong Kong style French toast, it just made sense. Use any kind of bread you'd like but maybe stay away from using the kinds that are too soft or too fresh, otherwise you'll end up having French toast that's a little too mushy. And peanut butter? I like the smooth kind, and Peanut Butter and Co. is a staple in my pantry (still need to make a trip to their sandwich shop at some point!)
Gosh. Is there more? I want another one!
Hong Kong style french toast
Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 6 mins Total time: 11 mins
You'll need:
- 2 slices of bread
- 1 tbsp butter, divided
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 egg, beaten
- maple syrup
Approach:
- Make a simple peanut butter sandwich by spreading a thin layer of butter on both slices of bread, then spread about 1 tbsp of peanut butter on each side.
- Heat a skillet with ½ tbsp of butter.
- Dip the sandwich in egg. Let it soak for 6 seconds each side and run the edges too.
- Cook each side for about 3 minutes, until golden brown.
- Plate and top with a thin slice of butter and drizzle with maple syrup.