Use whatever stale white bread you have in the bread bin for this fabulous French toast – it makes a brilliant weekend brunch drenched in honey with fresh berries.

Ingredients

• 2 free-range eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp golden caster sugar
• pinch salt
• pinch ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 125ml/4fl oz milk
• ½ stale baguette, cut on the diagonal into 2–3cm/¾in–1¼in-thick slices, or 2 large, thick slices of stale white bread, cut into triangles
• sunflower oil or butter, for frying

To serve

• 2 tbsp honey
• handful of berries, such as blueberries, raspberries or quartered strawberries

Method

Whisk together the eggs, caster sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla and milk in a shallow dish.

Dip the pieces of bread into the egg mixture, coating both sides well. Allow the mixture to soak in a little, but not so much that the bread falls apart.

Heat the oil or butter in a large frying pan.

Lower the soaked bread into the pan using a fork. Fry for a couple of minutes on both sides, or until golden-brown.

Transfer to a warm plate, cover and keep warm while you cook the remaining pieces of bread.

Divide the French toast between two plates, drizzle over the honey and top with the berries.

Recipe tips

Any stale white bread will work well in this recipe – baguette, white sliced, teacakes, brioche or even crumpets.

Swap the honey and berries for a couple of rashers of crispy bacon and maple syrup if you like.