How did French Toast Originate
Like many recipes we enjoy today, French Toast actually originated in the Roman , way back in the 5th century AD. It was originally called pan dulcis, meaning “sweet bread”. Today, it is called by several different names around the world, including “Bombay toast”, “eggy bread”, and “German toast”.
In France, where we like to attribute this recipe, French toast is called pain perdu, or “lost bread.” Zoe tells me that this is because in France, you use old, stale bread (aka lost) as a way to salvage bread that would have otherwise been thrown away. Very resourceful! And I’ve found that French toast seems to work best and taste better when using bread on the staler rather than fresher side anyways.
Tips for Making Pumpkin French Toast
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
We prefer making our own pumpkin pie spice. It’s quite easy! Just combine:
- 8 parts cinnamon
- 4 parts ginger
- 2 parts cloves
- 1 part nutmeg
- 1 part allspice
Don’t overcrowd the pan
Otherwise, your pumpkin French toast could become soggy and not get the right caramelization.
Use pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie mix
While they may look the same in the grocery store, pumpkin puree is pure pumpkin compared to pumpkin pie mix which comes premixed with sugar and spices. Using pumpkin puree lets you control the spice and sugar level of your pumpkin French toast.
Other Unique Pumpkin Recipes
Chances are that if you’re reading this pumpkin French toast recipe, you’re probably a big pumpkin fan (like us!). Check out some of our other unique pumpkin recipes we’ve shared at GradFood over the years:
- Festive Chocolate Pumpkin Crepes
- Pumpkin Gnocchi with Walnuts and Creamy Sage Sauce
- Pumpkin Chai Tea Latte Cinnamon Buns
Note that this delicious pumpkin recipe is part of a larger group of recipes, “9 Unique and Delicious Pumpkin Recipes for this Fall“. Here, we tell you everything you’ll ever need to know about pumpkins (including how to make homemade pumpkin pie spice) and how to incorporate this versatile and festive ingredient into your culinary repertoire. Check it our here!
Pumpkin French Toast (Pain Perdu)
Ingredients
French Toast
- ½ loaf old bread
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
Pumpkin Butter
- 4 tbsp butter room temperature
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- Powdered sugar for dusting
- Sliced almonds for topping
- Maple syrup for topping
Instructions
- In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin puree, and granulated sugar until combined.
- Slice bread into ~1 to 1.5 inch slices and let soak in the dish with the mixture for a few seconds on each side.
- Heat a large skillet/pan to medium heat and with~ 1 tbsp butter. Once butter is melted and coats the skillet, add a few slices of soaked bread. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side and make sure to cook all the sides of the bread too in order to ensure the egg mixture is cooked through.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Assemble by placing French toast on a plate, adding a dollop of pumpkin butter, topping with almonds and powdered sugar, and drizzling with maple syrup.
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