SPICED ROAST PLUM AND ALMOND FRENCH TOAST - OR: THE POOR KNIGHT SO POOR NO MORE

Warm, cinnamon-anise-spiced sweet roasted plums on a bed of golden-brown caramelised slices of French toast (poor knights), and an almond crunch with every bite - just my idea of autumn weekend stay-in-bed breakfast.

French Toast, also known as Eggy Bread in England, Pain Perdu (lost bread) and Pain Doré (golden bread) in France, Arme Ritter (poor knights) in Germany, and Pavesen in Austria and Southern Germany, according to Wikipedia leads back to the 4th or 5th century to the Romans, with an entry in the oldest collection of Roman recipes. It relates to bread that is soaked in milk, fried, and served with honey, with the not so charming name: 'alter dulcet' 'another sweet dish'. In medieval Europe French Toast was often served with game birds and meats.

The recipe is really simple, but at the same time so delicious and also beautiful, with its lovely warm autumn colours. The plums are spiced and then baked in the oven. The bread soaked in sweet egg-milk, quickly fried in the pan and then served together with the roasted plums and toasted almonds - the poor knight so poor no more! :-)

One incy wincy problem: you will have to get out of the comfort of your warm and cosy bed in order to make it. Although, of course, nothing will stop you from returning there, the moment you are done! :-) Also, from start to finish the process is quite lengthy, but luckily with only a few hands-on tasks; so you could even go back to bed while the plums are roasting themselves and the eggy bread is drowning. Or better still, teach the recipe to your other half and stay in bed, wrapped up warm, and in anticipation of sweet breakfast to come :-) Must work on that! Happy Weekend! :-)

Recipe source: Spiced roast plum and almond French toast, by Louise Robinson @greatbritishchefs

Breakfast, easy, serves 2, Cooking time: app. 45 minutes

For the spiced roast plums:
4 plums, halved and stoned
15g (½ oz) light brown soft sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 star anise
2 tbsp of water

For the French toast:
2 eggs
1 tbsp cream or double cream
2 tbsp whole milk
Seeds from ½ vanilla pod, cut inhale and scraped out, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
15g (½ oz) caster sugar
2 slices of white bread or toast, thick, farmhouse style, one day old and a little dry, which helps the bread to absorb the liquid better without falling apart
2 tbsp sunflower oil

To serve:
2 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted
Icing sugar
Optional: Greek yogurt

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°fan/gas mark 6.

Place the plums, cut-side up, in an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle over the brown sugar, cinnamon and water and add the star anise. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes, or until the fruit is soft but still keeps its shape.

Remove the plums when done, but keep the oven on for later.

While the plums are cooking, beat the eggs, cream, milk, vanilla seeds or vanilla extract and caster sugar together in a bowl.

Pour the egg-milk into a shallow dish and add the bread slices. Soak for 30 minutes, turning them over every now and then as the plums bake. The liquid will be fully absorbed at the end.

Meanwhile toast the almonds over medium heat in a small frying pan until light golden.

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add the sunflower oil. Fry the soaked bread for a couple of minutes on each side, or until crisp and golden brown. Transfer the eggy bread to a baking sheet and place in the oven for 3 minutes.

To assemble: Remove the slices from the oven, cut them in half diagonally and divide between two plates. Top with roasted plum halves and drizzle over some of the plum juice. Sprinkle with flaked almonds, then dust with icing sugar. Serve immediately, with some Greek yogurt on the side if you wish.

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SPICED ROAST PLUM AND ALMOND FRENCH TOAST - OR: THE POOR KNIGHT SO POOR NO MORE

Breakfast, easy, serves 2, Cooking time: app. 45 minutes

For the spiced roast plums:
4 plums, halved and stoned
15g (½ oz) light brown soft sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 star anise
2 tbsp of water

For the French toast:
2 eggs
1 tbsp cream or double cream
2 tbsp whole milk
Seeds from ½ vanilla pod, cut inhale and scraped out, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
15g (½ oz) caster sugar
2 slices of white bread or toast, thick, farmhouse style, one day old and a little dry, which helps the bread to absorb the liquid better without falling apart
2 tbsp sunflower oil

To serve:
2 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted
Icing sugar
Optional: Greek yogurt

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°fan/gas mark 6.

1) Spice and roast the plums: Place the plums, cut-side up, in an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle over the brown sugar, cinnamon and water and add the star anise. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes, or until the fruit is soft but still keeps its shape. Remove the plums when done, but keep the oven on for later.

2) Prepare the egg-milk: While the plums are cooking, beat the eggs, cream, milk, vanilla seeds or vanilla extract and caster sugar together in a bowl.

3) Soak the break in the egg-milk: Pour the egg-milk into a shallow dish and add the bread slices. Soak for 30 minutes, turning them over every now and then as the plums bake. The liquid will be fully absorbed at the end.

4) Toast the almond slices: Meanwhile toast the almonds over medium heat in a small frying pan until light golden.

5) Fry the eggy bread: Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add the sunflower oil. Fry the soaked bread for a couple of minutes on each side, or until crisp and golden brown. Transfer the eggy bread to a baking sheet and place in the oven for 3 minutes.

6) Assemble: Remove the slices from the oven, cut them in half diagonally and divide between two plates. Top with roasted plum halves and drizzle over some of the plum juice. Sprinkle with flaked almonds, then dust with icing sugar. 

7) Serve: serve immediately, with some Greek yogurt on the side if you wish.