Pain Perdu with Fresh Cherries

by

Cherries are luscious. We have about a dozen varieties around here and last week, Julie, who has lived in the US and, like me, adores maples syrup made this amazing Pain Perdu (sort of French toasts) with burlat cherries and leftover brioche (a good country bread works well too)

Ingredients

7 ounces cherries, rinsed and dried
2 large eggs
16 ounces regular or 2% milk
1/2 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
4 slices leftover (dried out) brioche
1 tablespoon butter
4 tablespoons maple syrup
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2-3 tablespoons of crème fraiche

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe

In a large baking dish, beat the eggs, add milk, sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Mix well and dip the brioche slices on each side till all liquid is soaked up. Heat butter over medium heat in a non stick frying pan and cook brioche slices for 2 minutes on each side. Reserve. Keep the same pan and add the cherries. Cook over medium heat with maple syrup and thyme for 2 minutes. To serve, pour cherries on brioche slices and top with crème fraiche. Eat at once.