Kefir French toast

By Nik, founder of 東歐嚴選｜kefir.link and former chef · Updated 2 November 2026

French toast began as a way to give bread that had gone a little dry a second life: soak it in egg and milk, then brown it in the pan. Here plain milk kefir takes the place of the milk and brings a tang much like unsweetened Greek yogurt, while brown sugar and vanilla add sweetness. Serve it warm with berries and a drizzle of honey.

Lost bread, from ancient Rome to Spain and Portugal

In France the dish is called pain perdu, or “lost bread,” because it puts stale bread to use, and it was first eaten as a dessert. No one knows exactly where it began. Roman writings from the first century describe a bread soaked in milk, made without egg, and a French cookbook from around 1300 gives a recipe for golden toasts. Today the French eat it for breakfast, as an afternoon snack or as dessert, with icing sugar, maple syrup or caramel on top. Spain has torrijas for Lent, and in Portugal rabanadas are a traditional Christmas sweet.

Thick bread that is a few days old

Thick slices with a dense crumb, such as milk bread or brioche, are the best choice, because thin slices cannot hold much of the egg mixture. Bread a few days old soaks up more custard and keeps its shape, while fresh, soft sandwich bread tends to turn pulpy. If your loaf is fresh, dry the slices in the oven first so they can take in the custard and stay moist without going soggy. Match the soak to the bread: a quick dip for fresh slices, and longer for thick, stale ones.

Gentle heat lets the centre catch up

In the soak, the eggs thicken the custard and give the toast its structure, while the dairy softens the bread and adds richness. A soggy middle usually means the bread was too thin or too fresh, it soaked too long, or the pan was so hot that the outside browned before the centre set. Medium-low heat gives the inside time to cook through. Cooking only two slices at a time matters too, because crowded slices turn soggy.