Tostadas Francesas con Pan de Mallorca
Puerto Rican Mallorca bread turns everyday French toast into a buttery, tender breakfast. Briefly dipped in cinnamon-vanilla custard and cooked until golden, these sweet bread slices need only a light dusting of powdered sugar.
Equipment
- Serrated bread knife
- Wide shallow mixing dish
- Whisk
- Large nonstick skillet or griddle
- Wide spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small sieve for powdered sugar
Ingredients
For the French toast
- 4 medium pan de Mallorca rolls preferably day-old, about 3 oz (85 g) each
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup whole milk 180 ml
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 28 g, divided, for cooking
For serving
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar 8 g
Optional
- Maple syrup served separately
Instructions
- Brush any loose powdered sugar off the Mallorca rolls. Using a serrated knife, split each roll horizontally into a top and bottom half, making 8 pieces. Aim for halves about 3/4–1 inch thick.
- In a wide shallow dish, whisk the eggs with the cinnamon and salt until well combined. Slowly whisk in the milk and vanilla until no obvious streaks of egg remain.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of butter for the first batch and let it melt without browning heavily.
- Dip only as many bread halves as will fit in the pan. Start with about 5 seconds per side for soft bread, or up to 10 seconds per side for firmer, day-old bread. Coat the cut surfaces thoroughly, but lift the pieces out before they become floppy. Allow excess custard to drip back into the dish.
- Place the dipped halves in the skillet, cut-side down, leaving space between them. Cook for 3–4 minutes, until golden underneath.
- Turn gently with a wide spatula and cook for another 2–3 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed. The bread should feel lightly springy, with a cooked, tender center and no wet egg mixture inside. For a temperature check, the center should reach 160°F (71°C).
- Transfer the cooked French toast to plates. Carefully wipe away any dark butter residue from the pan, add the remaining butter, and repeat with the remaining bread. Stir the custard briefly before dipping the next batch.
- Dust with powdered sugar just before serving. Serve warm, with maple syrup on the side if desired.
Notes
Bread size: This recipe assumes 4 medium rolls weighing about 85 g each. Very large bakery mallorcas may require more custard or smaller portions.
Use baked bread: Preparation time does not include making the Mallorca rolls from scratch.
Day-old bread: Slightly firm bread is easier to dip and turn. If your rolls are very fresh, split them and let the cut sides air-dry for 15–20 minutes before starting. This adds time to the recipe.
Soaking: Dip briefly rather than soaking until saturated. The correct time depends on the bread’s freshness, thickness, and texture.
Sweetness: The bread is already sweet, so the custard contains no added sugar. Brush off loose powdered sugar before cooking to reduce scorching.
Pan capacity: The cooking time assumes two batches of four halves on a large cooking surface. A smaller skillet will require more batches.
Heat: If the outside darkens before the center cooks, reduce the heat. Avoid pressing the bread flat with the spatula.
Substitution: Thick brioche slices can substitute, but the result will be brioche French toast rather than Mallorca French toast.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Reheat until hot throughout. Discard leftover raw custard.
Allergens: Contains wheat, eggs, and milk.