Pain Perdu

Pain Perdu
(recipe from Savoring Provence: Recipes and Reflections on Provencal Cooking)

slices of a day old bread from a square cornered loaf
100 g butter, at room temperature
100 g red currant jam
500 ml milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3 whole eggs, + 2 egg yolks
125 g + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
boiling water, as needed
powdered sugar

Spread each slice of bread with butter and cut in half on the diagonal. Arrange the slices, buttered side up, on a baking sheet and slip under the preheated broiler close to the heat source to brown. This should take only about 30-45 seconds. Remove from the broiler and turn the oven to 200°C.

Arrange the toasted slices, points of the triangles facing the same direction (like on the photo above), and each slice overlapping another in a rectangular gratin dish 30x20 cm. When the dish is filled, spoon a little jam here and there among the slices.

Boil milk with vanilla bean. Remove from heat and let cool. While the milk is cooling, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks with granulated sugar until creamy and light in color. Remove the vanilla bean from the cooled milk and discard. Whisk the milk into the egg mixture and pour over the bread slices.

Place the gratin dish into a large baking pan and fill the baking pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the height of gratin dish. Bake for about 5 minutes, then, using large metal spatula, press on the bread slices to embed into the custard. Bake for another 25 minutes.

Carefully remove the baking pan from the oven and let stand for about 30 minutes. Remove the gratin dish from the pan and dust with powdered sugar.