Hong Kong French toast, in my opinion, is one of THE best versions of French toast out there and everyone needs to try it! I make my version of Hong Kong French toast using whipped egg whites, egg yolk, peanut butter and condensed milk.
Although simple and easy to make, it is one of the most indulgent versions of French toast I have tried!
Hong Kong French toast – inspired by my travels:
I 2 months in late 2022 travelling around Asia, more specifically Malaysia, Korea, Japan and Hong Kong. Aside from the beautiful scenery and experiencing new cultures, the best thing about my trip was definitely the food!
Food seems to be a much bigger part of peoples’ lives than here in England. Restaurants, cafés and street food stalls line the streets with abundance and exciting new food lies around every corner.
What is Hong Kong French toast?
One of my favourite dishes from Hong Kong was their version of French toast. Usually this comprises of 2 or 3 slices of white bread spread with peanut butter, coated in egg and fried.
The toast is topped with a huge slab of butter and drizzled with syrup or condensed milk. We ate this every other day whilst in Hong Kong, as you can see below…
Hong Kong ‘soufflé’ French toast?
Typically, most places do not necessarily whip their egg whites when making Hong Kong French toast. However, I found that by whisking the egg whites the French toast tastes more airy and even better than regular French toast.
Toppings
I chose to drizzle condensed milk over my French toast. More typically, however, cafés will have large bottles of syrup on the tables for you to add to your toast. This is usually labeled as ‘barbecue syrup’ but don’t be alarmed – it tastes very similar to golden syrup.
Although it is not traditional, feel free to add fresh berries or chocolate to your toast. There are no rules here!
Why doesn’t my French toast get crispy?
There are a couple of reasons why your French toast might not be crispy. Firstly, it may be because the bread is too fresh. It is best to use bread which is a couple of days old to prevent soggy French toast.
Secondly you may you may not be using enough oil. Also, if it absorbs the oil very quickly add a bit extra before you flip the toast over. It is also important to ensure the oil is hot before adding your toast to the pan.
What is the best bread to use for French Toast?
Typically Hong Kong style French toast is made using milk bread. This is hard to find in the U.K. so you could try making it yourself. I recommend this milk bread recipe from Caroline’s Cooking.
If you can’t find this then any soft white bread or brioche will work well. I have even made French toast with challah bread before and it was delicious.
Do I have to put peanut butter in my French toast?
Traditionally, pretty much all Hong Kong style French toast you will find has peanut butter in it. If you have a peanut allergy or just don’t like peanut butter there are alternatives. Biscoff spread tastes delicious in this recipe as well as chocolate spread or Nutella. You could even just make this recipe with one slice of bread and have it plain with the butter, condensed milk or syrup on top.
Similar recipes
If you like this recipe try out some of my other delicious sugary breakfasts and sweet treats:
- Raspberry and white chocolate pancakes
- Chocolate reindeer brownies
- Cadbury mini egg cookies
- Sweet chocolate bread rolls
- Brown butter Nutella cookies
- Biscoff stuffed cookies
If you’re sharing your French toast with friends people will usually slice it up like this so everyone can have a piece!
Hong Kong Style Soufflé French Toast
Ingredients
Method
- Separate the eggs. Place the egg whites into a medium sized bowl.
- Using an electric hand whisk, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Stir the egg yolks to break them down and then drizzle over the egg whites. Using a spatula gently combine the whites and yolks until just combined.
- Spread one slice of bread with the peanut butter and top with the other slice of bread.
- In a shallow bowl use a spatula to evenly coat the sandwiched bread with the egg white mixture.
- In a small frying pan, just large enough to fit the bread, heat the oil on a medium-high heat.
- Once hot, place the bread into the oil. Fry until golden brown on all sides. You can use a pair of tongs to lift the bread up and fry the edges to ensure all the egg is cooked through.
- Plate the toast and poke a few holes with a fork into the bread to help the toppings absorb. Top with a slab of butter and drizzle with the condensed milk, or syrup if you prefer. Enjoy!
Such a fun new way to eat French toast thank you!!