Hong Kong Style French Toast (西多士) has a special place in my heart. It’s a classic afternoon tea treat in Hong Kong. Stuffed with peanut butter and pan fried until golden brown. It’s sweet and savory!
It took me long enough to finally make a post about this Hong Kong style French toast (西多士). I grew up eating this. Not at home, but in Hong Kong style cafe (aka Cha Chaan Teng 茶餐廳). Back in the days, it was only served during afternoon tea time (around 2:30pm – 6pm). Since we were usually in school or busy, we only got to enjoy it every once a while. I would share one with my sister and parents. It’s a very special treat. Nowadays, you can get this French toast at all time of the day.
I have tried making this French toast long time ago, but it didn’t taste quite the same. Until recently I watched a retired Hong Kong chef who made this on YouTube by beating the egg white until foamy. That gives the batter a fluffy texture. I always thought it’s just coated with beaten egg. Also, I recently learned that the syrup, that is being drizzle on top, is actually golden syrup from the UK. That syrup has a slight caramelized flavor, which complements the French toast really well. After learning these tips, I made this French toast and it tasted exactly like how I remember it! I couldn’t resist and ate everything!
For the ingredients, there are few things to look out for. First, get soft white bread. Asian style white bread is the way to go. They’re light and soft. You can get them from your local Asian bakeries. Once you got the bread, don’t make the French toast right away. It’s better to use slightly stale bread, because it gives the chance for bread to dry out a little, then it will be more sturdy and can absorb more liquid. Next, golden syrup. I used Lyle’s and I found it on Amazon. If you can’t get some, use regular pancake syrup. Some Cha Chaan Teng in Hong Kong now use sweetened condensed milk. That’s not what I grew up with, so that’s not my preference. Use anything you like. Last, peanut butter. Creamy one is my favorite, because it’s classic. I like that it’s smooth. I think chunky peanut butter is a bit too distracting. But again, use anything you like.
To start, spread peanut butter on one side of a toast. It looks like very little peanut butter as a stuffed French toast, but trust me, you don’t need too much. I already put in more than usual. Stack the other toast on top. Trim off the crust with a serrated knife.
Get a small heavy bottom skillet, add 1/4 cup of neutral oil, like vegetable or canola. Heat up the oil over medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, prepare the batter. Unlike other French toasts, there is no need for milk and cinnamon. All you need is one egg. Separate the egg white and egg yolk carefully. Make sure no yolk gets into the white. Place the egg white in a clean bowl. Any water or oil will prevent the white to reach the right consistency. Whisk the egg white with a fork until foamy and double in volume. Add the egg yolk back and whisk until just combined. Dip the four sides of the French toast first, then lay flat and flip over. Make sure the toast is well covered. Let it soak in the egg batter for a minute.
Test the oil temperature by placing a drop of egg into the oil. If the egg is bubbling, the oil is ready. Carefully place the French toast into the oil. Baste the top and sides of the toast with a large spoon. This will help to cook faster and more evenly. Once the toast is golden brown at the bottom, flip and cook until golden brown too. Place the toast on a plate lined with paper towel to soak up some of oil. Transfer to a serving plate. Top with butter and syrup.
I was so excited that how good this French toast looked. Perfectly golden brown! With the melting butter and the sweet syrup on top, I cut the toast into little cubes. This was how my family enjoyed it, so everyone can easily get a piece or two. It’s sweet, but not too sweet. Also there is a little savoriness from the peanut butter. My favorite is the contrast of the slight crispiness from the toast edges and the soft and fluffy bread in the center. It is so simple to make, but there are so much flavors and textures.
If you haven’t tried this before, give this a try. And don’t forget to let me know what you think.
Hong Kong Style French Toast
Ingredients
- 2 slices soft white bread (preferably 2 days old)
- 2 teaspoons creamy peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 1 thin slice unsalted butter
- Golden syrup or pancake syrup
Instructions
- Place white bread slices on a cutting board. Spread the peanut butter on 1 side of a slice of bread. Stack the other toast on top. Trim off the brown crusts from all sides with a serrated knife. Set aside.
- For the egg, separate the yolk and white. For the egg white, place in a clean medium bowl (make sure no water or oil). Whisk with a fork until foamy with tiny bubbles and double in volume. It doesn’t have to reach soft peak. Then, add the yolk and whisk together until just blended. Transfer to a rim plate.
- In a small heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat, heat up the oil.
- Prepare a plate with a paper towel.
- Soak the prepared bread into the egg mixture, starting with the sides, then the flat sides. Let the mixture soak in for a minute.
- To test if the oil is hot enough, add one egg drop into the oil. If it’s bubbling, it’s ready. Add the French toast into the oil carefully. Turn the heat down to medium. Using a large spoon, baste (spoon) the top and the sides with hot oil. Once the bottom is golden brown, carefully flip the French Toast and cook until golden brown as well. Transfer the French toast to the prepared plate for 10 seconds.
- Then, place the French toast on a serving plate. Top with butter and syrup. Serve hot.
Notes
- For the bread, I got mine from Paris Baguette (a Korean bakery). It’s light and soft Asian style bread. It’s best to use Asian white bread if you can.
- I used a little more peanut butter in this recipe than normal cafe would. Use a bit less if you prefer.
- Beating the egg white gives a fluffy texture to the French toast.
- I used a 8-inch skillet. If you’re using a bigger skillet, use more oil. There should be enough oil to reach ¼-inch in depth.
- For the syrup, I used Lyle’s Golden Syrup. That’s what it’s used in Hong Kong when I was growing up. Nowadays, some places use sweetened condensed milk or some other syrup. But Lyle’s has a light caramel taste, which is better in my opinion. I got the syrup from Amazon. If you can’t find it, use pancake syrup, like Pearl Milling Company.
- This toast is enough for 2 as an afternoon tea. But for breakfast, it’s a good for 1.
Leave a Reply