You don’t have to be a chef in a fancy brunch spot to whip up this delectable french toast. All you need are a couple of ingredients – that are probably already lurking in the back of your fridge – and you’re on the way to a 5-star breakfast.

You can use pretty much any bread – if it’s a little stale that’s even better, as it stops the french toast from going soggy.

Our ultimate French toasting tip is to use slightly stale bread. This stops the french toast from going soggy, gives your finished dish the perfect consistency and cuts down your food waste! (Did you know 20 million slices of bread are thrown away in the UK every day?)

For an extra indulgent french toast, thickly sliced challah (a braided Jewish loaf) or brioche make for a rich-tasting, sturdy base, but your classic white supermarket slice will work just as well. A slab of slowly melting butter and a drizzle of syrup makes for a delicious quick topping, or if you have a little time, check out our favourite toppings below.

Here’s the recipe (Serves 2):

Ingredients

• 4 slices of bread
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp milk
• Pinch of salt
• ½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
• Butter and vegetable oil to fry

Method

Whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon (if using)  in a dish large enough to fit a slice of bread in. Season with a little salt then dip both sides of the bread in the egg mixture.

Fry in a knob of butter with a splash of vegetable oil (this helps to stop the butter from burning) over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Serve fresh from the frying pan, or try our favourite toppings…

The Tropical One

Top with coconut yoghurt (the one we used came with a tropical compote) and chopped fruit like, coconut, pineapple, mango and papaya

The Summer Fruit One

Serve with a dollop of greek yoghurt and red berries (we love strawberries, raspberries and cherries) and for a little  extra indulgence a drizzle of maple syrup.

The Savoury One

Leave the vanilla and cinnamon out of the eggy mixture for your french toast, then roast cherry tomatoes and streaky bacon for 12-15 minutes at 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ 425°F/ Gas 7. Serve with sliced avocado and a splash of brown sauce (try our favourite Tracklements available on Gousto Market).