French toast with berries and mascarpone

Photographer: Adam
Serves 2

Monday – Friday without exception, my first conversation of the day is with the coffee machine. I’m just not a morning person. It is a struggle to make it into the office by 8am. Let’s just say I meet the challenge maybe one day out of ten, bleary eyed. Weekday breakfasts are often out of a box – anything that requires little thought or preparation. I like to make up for this by making totally delicious, indulgent weekend brunches. I love cooking in my pjs, slippers keeping my toes warm, music up, heat pump cranking. A perfect lazy Sunday for me means not getting dressed, not leaving the house, not having visitors… basically being a hermit with delicious snacks. Oh and a Sunday paper to browse curled up at the sunny end of the couch!

INGREDIENTS


100g mixed berries
1 tsp rosewater
2 tsp caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
Zest of half an orange


~1/3 French bread stick
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp caster sugar


Butter and oil for frying


100g mascarpone
Zest of half an orange
1 tsp cinnamon

METHOD


1. Combine berries, rosewater, first measure of caster sugar, vanilla and orange zest. Leave to macerate.
2. Slice bread into 4cm thick pieces on the diagonal.
3. Whisk eggs, milk, first measure of cinnamon and caster sugar together.
4. Heat a heavy-based frying pan or griddle to a medium-high heat. Grease with a little butter and oil. Dip bread into egg mix in batches of 3-4 at a time. Fry until golden on each side. Keep warm in a low oven until all pieces are cooked.
5. Combine mascarpone, orange zest and cinnamon. Serve.