Malva Pudding French Toast with Apricot Caramel Cream

Method

1. In a wide, shallow dish, whisk the eggs, milk, apricot jam, vanilla and salt until no lumps of jam remain.

   Add in this stepEggs 2Milk 100 mlApricot jam 1 tbspVanilla extract ½ tspSalt 1 pinch

2. Lay the bread in the custard and soak for 1 min in total, about 30 seconds per side, until moist when pressed in the middle but not falling apart. Lift onto a rack or plate to let the excess drip off.

   Add in this stepThick brioche or white bread slices (2.5 cm, a day old) 2

3. Put the brown sugar and butter in a small 14 cm pan over medium heat and stir for 2 min, until melted and bubbling. Slowly pour in the cream (it will steam fiercely, so keep your face away); any sugar that seizes will melt again. Turn down to medium-low heat and stir for 2 min until slightly thickened, then add the salt and take off the heat.

   Add in this stepLight brown sugar 40 gButter (for the sauce) 20 gDouble cream 80 mlFlaky salt 1 pinch

   medium heat→medium-low heat

4. Toast the flaked almonds in a dry frying pan over medium-low heat for 2 min, stirring, until light golden, then tip them out.

   Add in this stepFlaked almonds 10 g

   medium-low heat

5. Melt the frying butter in a 24 cm frying pan over medium-low heat, and when the foam subsides add the bread. Cook for 6 min in total, turning once or twice. Too high a heat burns the outside before the centre sets, so stay at medium-low. It's done when both sides are deep golden and no liquid custard oozes when you press the middle.

   Add in this stepButter (for frying) 20 g

   medium-low heat

6. Plate the French toast, pour over plenty of the warm caramel cream and scatter with toasted almonds. Serve at once; a scoop of vanilla ice cream makes it taste just like malva pudding.