Golden-fried fluffy bread layered with peanut butter and served with condensed milk and butter, this Hong Kong style French toast is an indulgent breakfast
Jump to:
What is Hong Kong French toast?
Hong Kong Style French Toast is a French toast that is layered with peanut butter and fried until golden perfection. It is most commonly served with butter and drizzled with condensed milk.
This delicious yet simple treat is served at many Hong Kong style cafes, or "cha-cha-teng" in Cantonese. It's a Chinese twist on the popular European style French toast and it's definitely worth making!
Ingredients
- White bread: Make sure you use white bread for the best texture and flavor. Personally, I use home-brand white sandwich bread
- Creamy peanut butter: Depending on whether you prefer crunchy or smooth you can change this to your preference. However, make sure you don't use natural peanut butter as it doesn't have the same flavor.
- Eggs: The eggs give the bread moisture and create that French toast texture when fried
- Whole milk: Using whole milk will ensure you achieve the best flavor as it has a higher fat content and will give the bread a better texture.
- Vegetable oil: Make sure you use a neutral oil such as vegetable oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, etc as this ensures that your french toast has a clean flavor.
- Butter: Gives french toast moisture and buttery flavor.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Gives french toast moisture and adds a bit of sweetness.
Tips for making the best Hong Kong French toast
Don't overspread the peanut butter
Make sure your peanut butter is spread into a thicker layer in the centre of your bread and thinner around the edges. This ensures no peanut butter bursts out of the sides of your toast while frying.
Use day-old bread
It is ideal to use day-old bread as it it firmer than freshly baked bread and will holds its shape much better when soaked in the egg mixture.
Avoid over-soaking the bread
If you over-soak your bread you will have soggy bread that will fall apart before you can fry it. You will also not have enough egg mixture for your other servings.
Be careful not to under-soak the bread either. Make sure to soak the bread long enough in your egg mixture so that it seeps through the edges.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does this last?
Hong-Kong style french toast can last up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Do not drizzle any butter, condensed milk or syrup of choice until you are ready to serve.
To reheat, simply place in toaster oven for 5 minutes or heat in skillet to toast.
How do I serve this?
Serve your french toast with a cold cube of butter and a drizzle of condensed milk. Alternatively, you can use maple syrup or honey instead of the condensed milk for a different flavor or to your liking.
Can I use something else instead of peanut butter?
Feel free to use Nutella, Biscoff, Jam or any spread of your choice as a substitute, however traditional Hong Kong-style French toast calls for peanut butter.
Can I use something else instead of white bread?
This recipe is very versatile as you can substitute any bread of your choice such as milk bread, brioche bread, wholemeal bread etc.
Why is my French toast dry?
There are a few reasons why your French toast was dry:
- Not soaked in egg mixture enough: Ensure all sides of the bread are coated and the egg mixture has seeped into the edges of the bread.
- The bread used was too stale: This can prevent the bread from soaking up the egg mixture
Why is my French toast soggy?
Your french toast may turn out soggy if:
- It has been soaked in the egg mixture for too long: If your bread has soaked for too long in the egg mixture it will result in a soggier toast.
- The bread slices used were too thin and soft: Thicker slices and day-old bread are ideal for this recipe.
- The heat of the oil is too low: This can cause the bread to soak up too much oil as it is frying, causing it to get oily and soggy
Let's Get Cooking
If you liked this recipe make sure to leave me a comment and rating down below, I would love to know how you went. Also don't forget to tag me on Instagram @catherine.desserts so I can see and share your desserts.
Follow me on facebook, pinterest, youtube and tiktok for more of my baking creations and updates! Until next time... happy caking!
Print📖 Recipe
Hong Kong Style French Toast
Golden-fried fluffy bread layered with peanut butter and served with condensed milk and butter, this Hong Kong style French toast is an indulgent breakfast
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 Toasts 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: Cantonese
Ingredients
- 8 slices of White bread
- 6 tbsp Creamy peanut butter
- 2 Large eggs
- 30ml Whole milk (2 tbsp)
- 240ml Vegetable oil (1 cup)
- 30g Butter, cut into 2 cubes (2 tbsp)
- 30ml Condensed milk, to serve (2 tbsp)
Instructions
- Prepare 4 slices of bread
- Spread 3 slices with peanut butter and layer them on top of each other
- Add the last plain piece of bread on top of the stack
- Repeat with the remaining bread
- Using a serrated knife cut the crusts off the bread stacks
- In a shallow bowl add the eggs and milk, and whisk until well combined
- Meanwhile, heat a deep frypan or heavy-bottomed pot with the oil until 180C/350F
- Dip the sides of one toast into the egg mixture, then the top and bottom, making sure the egg mixture seeps into the toast
- Add the toast to the oil and fry for 3 minutes, or until the underside is golden brown
- Flip the toast and continue to fry for 2 minutes, or until golden brown
- Remove the toast from the oil and drain on a wire rack or paper towel
- Repeat with the other toast
- Once drained place the toast on your serving plate and top with the piece of butter
- Drizzle with condensed milk and serve
Comments
No Comments