Brioche French toast with whipped honey butter

Serve the French toast with the whipped butter, fresh raspberries and figs, pistachios, plus an extra drizzle of honey.William Meppem

easyTime:2 hours +Serves:4-6

I initially fell in love with French toast in Japan, of all places, where very thick slices of crustless shokupan (Japanese milk bread) are soaked overnight, then fried until light-golden. Often served with a square of butter, some whipped cream and fresh fruit, it felt nostalgic and the contrast of the crisp exterior with the custardy centre was a  revelation.

At home, this makes for a very impressive breakfast, especially on Valentine’s Day. Here, I’ve used brioche, although shokupan or challah would work equally well. The eggy bread is topped with a whipped honey butter, pistachios, raspberries and figs, although any fruit of your choice would be lovely.