Savoury French Toast with Caviar

By Beleaev Family | Beleaev Caviar & Gourmet

Turn four thick slices of bread into savoury French toast, then add 5g of Royal Baeri Caviar to each slice just before serving. One 20g tin makes two brunch portions, with a chive custard and a measured amount of plain salted dairy butter for the pan.

Measured ingredients

Yield: four full slices, served as two slices per person. The caviar allocation is 5g per slice. Because the plain salted dairy butter is salted, no extra salt is built into the custard.

What you need

• Shallow dish large enough for one bread slice
• Fork or small whisk
• Large non-stick frying pan and fish slice
• Digital scale and chopping board
• Wire rack, serving plates and non-metal caviar spoon

Pan method

1. Mix the savoury custard. Beat the two eggs with 120ml milk, half the chives and the pepper in the shallow dish.
2. Coat rather than soak. Lay one bread slice in the mixture, turn it once and lift it when both faces are covered but the centre still holds its structure. Repeat as pan space becomes available.
3. Melt the first butter portion. Heat the pan over medium-low heat and add about one third of the 25g butter. When it foams gently, add two coated slices.
4. Cook to the centre. Turn when the first face is evenly coloured and releases from the pan. Continue until the second face is coloured and the egg mixture at the centre is set. Transfer the slices to the wire rack.
5. Repeat cleanly. Wipe away dark milk solids if needed, add the next butter portion and cook the remaining bread. Use the final butter only where the pan looks dry.
6. Top at the table. Place two slices on each plate. Add 5g Royal Baeri to every slice and finish with the reserved chives, without pressing the pearls into the bread.

Control the bread thickness

Use four bread slices near 2cm thick so they cook evenly. Coat without soaking them to the point of collapse, then cook until the centre is set as well as the surface coloured. Adjust the heat if the outside browns before the inside is cooked.

French-toast troubleshooting

• The slice tears during dipping: shorten the contact time and use day-old bread with a firm crumb.
• The outside darkens while the centre is wet: lower the heat and allow more time on each face rather than adding more butter.
• The pan develops burnt specks: wipe it between batches and divide the butter instead of using all 25g at once.
• The caviar rolls off: serve the toast flat and place the 5g portion at the centre after the slice reaches the plate.

Allergens and handling

Fish, milk, egg and wheat, including gluten, are present. Bread recipes and production environments vary, so read the current loaf label as well as the exact caviar and butter packs. Cook the egg-soaked centre before serving, and serve the finished toast promptly. Keep the caviar chilled under its label until the hot work is complete. The method does not assign a safe chilled life to cooked French toast or an opened life to caviar.

Optional crème fraîche and smoked salmon

For a cream layer, add 60g crème fraîche across the four cooked slices, 15g per slice, before the four 5g caviar portions. For a smoked-salmon addition, use 120g ready-to-eat sliced smoked salmon, 30g per slice. Both are optional additions to the base recipe, rather than ingredients hidden in its shopping table.

With either version, let the strong surface heat settle before adding the chilled toppings. Keep the unused dairy, fish and caviar refrigerated under their exact pack instructions.

Frequently asked questions

Is brioche compulsory?

No. Sourdough gives a firmer, tangier base; brioche is sweeter and richer. Keep the four slices near the stated thickness and check the loaf ingredients. A very airy or thin slice may tear before the custard at the centre sets.

What happens to unused custard?

The milk and egg mixture has contacted uncooked bread and is not a ready-to-eat sauce. Do not pour it over finished toast. Use clean utensils for the cooked bread and chilled topping.

Can I add sugar?

This is a savoury version with chives. Sugar changes the dish; the base method does not require it.

For another warm bread base, try crumpets with caviar.

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