Another year and another birthday. I always try and make something that Ignacio will like for breakfast. This year I had seen a recipe by Nigella Lawson on my Instagram feed which inspired me. I have been a fan of ‘eggy bread’ and sweet bread stuffs since a friend of mine mentioned it earlier this year and this recipe seemd the ultimate in luxury and indulgence. More importantly, I had most of the ingredients in my cupboard!

Serves: 4-6

FOR THE FRENCH TOAST

• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
• 125 full fat milk
• 300 grams panettone (or pandoro), slightly staled, cut into 8 equal pieces
• 50 grams unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon flavourless vegetable oil

TO SERVE

• 50 grams pomegranate seeds
• 1 teaspoon icing sugar

METHOD

1. In a dish that will take half the panettone pieces easily – I use a 24cm / 9inch square glass dish – whisk the eggs together with the mascarpone and milk; you will have to be a bit patient to smooth out the mascarpone – not that a normal person would register this, but my impatience colours my judgement.
2. Dunk 4 of the panettone slices in the egg mixture and leave to soak for 1 minute.
3. Put 25g / half the butter and ½ teaspoon oil in a large frying pan, and set over a low heat to melt. Turn the panettone slices in the egg mixture, and soak the other side for another minute, by which time the bread should have soaked up enough to soften it and the butter should have melted in the pan.
4. Turn up the heat, then add the soaked slices to the frying pan and cook for 1 minute each side, so that their egg-soaked surfaces are golden, and browned in part. Meanwhile, soak the remaining 4 slices in the egg mixture for their 1 minute a side.
5. Remove the first batch of Panettone French Toast from the pan to a large plate, add the remaining butter and oil to the pan, and cook the second batch as you did the first.
6. When all the pieces are cooked and on the platter, scatter with pomegranate seeds, then dust thickly with the icing sugar pressed through a tea strainer, letting the “snow” fall mostly on the golden sweet-bread slices rather than on the fruit.