Golden Vanilla French Toast with Warm Raspberries, Blackberries and Maple

Golden, soft-centred French toast topped with warm berries, maple syrup and a little dusting of icing sugar. Simple enough for a slow morning, but beautiful enough for Mother’s Day.

Golden, soft, and just a little bit indulgent, this is the kind of breakfast that earns its place on a special morning. Thick slices of bread soaked in a simple vanilla custard, cooked until deeply golden, then finished with warm raspberries, blackberries, and a generous pour of maple syrup. It is soft, buttery, and just elegant enough to feel like a treat, without asking too much from whoever is making it. The cream, the extra maple, the dusting of icing sugar: all of it is optional. This is Mother's Day, which means she gets to choose. Let her be the queen of her own plate, just this once.

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 15 min · Serves: 2 · Cuisine: French · Category: Breakfast

Ingredients

For the French Toast

• 6 thick slices brioche, challah, or soft white bread
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup cream, optional but lovely
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• Butter, for cooking

For the Warm Berries

• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup blackberries
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice or orange juice
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

To Serve

• Extra maple syrup
• Icing sugar, for dusting
• Extra fresh berries, optional
• Orange zest, optional

Method

1. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and salt until smooth.
2. Place the raspberries, blackberries, maple syrup, lemon or orange juice, and vanilla into a small saucepan. Warm gently over low heat for 2 to 4 minutes, just until the berries soften slightly and release some juice. Keep warm.
3. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add a little butter and let it melt gently.
4. Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture for about 10 seconds per side. Let it soak, but do not leave it sitting too long or it may become soggy.
5. Cook the French toast for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden, puffed slightly and cooked through. Add more butter between batches as needed.
6. Serve warm with the berries spooned over the top, extra maple syrup, a light dusting of icing sugar and a little orange zest if using.

Notes

Thicker bread works best because it holds the custard without falling apart. Brioche will give the richest result, while a good soft white loaf or pane di casa will still work beautifully.

Medium heat is important. Too hot and the outside browns before the centre cooks. Too low and the toast can become heavy.

If your bread is very fresh and soft, leave the slices out for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking so they dry slightly.

The berries here are completely flexible. Use raspberries and blackberries as written, or change them to suit what you have, what is in season, or what Mum loves most.

Strawberries, blueberries, cherries, sliced mango, kiwi fruit, passionfruit, or a mixture of fresh fruit would all work beautifully. For softer berries, warm them gently with the maple syrup. For fresh fruit like mango or kiwi, leave them uncooked and spoon them over just before serving.

If you prefer a thicker berry sauce, mix 1 teaspoon cornflour with 1 tablespoon cold water and stir it into the warm berries. Cook gently for another minute or two, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.

The loveliest version is the one made with her favourites.

The Grace Table Tip

For the best texture, use thick-cut bread that is slightly stale or a day old. It absorbs the vanilla custard beautifully while still holding its shape as it cooks, giving you French toast that is soft in the centre and golden at the edges.