Hong Kong style French Toast is a twist on the classic breakfast dish. Think of your standard fabulous French toast, except in sandwich form, stuffed with delicious peanut butter (or strawberry jam, or Nutella!), and a little condensed milk drizzled on top. OH. EM. GOODNESSGRACIOUSME. You’re going to love me for this one, bestie.
I was first introduced to this indulgent breakfast recipe during a late-night conversation with an old boarding school friend (who, surprise surprise, was from Hong Kong). There we were, two guys from across the world, sat up watching kung fu movies, while we should have been fast asleep the night before our A-Level economics exam.
Out of the blue he paused the movie, and said, “You know what I want, Riz?”
“Abs? And Cindy from psychology to notice you?”
“No! I mean, yes. But what I really want right now is…French toast.” There was a sparkle in his eye; it reminded me of the first time he told me he was going to teach me to introduce myself in Cantonese (you know, so I could be cute and charming when I plucked up the courage to say hi to the pretty Asian girl who had once smiled at me as we walked past one another in the school corridor).
“French toast?” Strange. We had French toast as an option just earlier that morning for breakfast, and he had refused it.
“No, no, no” he said, “Hong Kong-style French toast.” There was something about the way he said it, the world ‘style’ elongated; enunciated, as if bolstered by memories; and a surety, that made me curious. Based on his instructions, we attempted to make it a few days later.
It. Was. Glorious.
Sure, the toast was a little burnt. And we didn’t have any condensed milk. But it still tasted great. I’ve finally actually learnt how to make it properly, and I’m sharing it here with you today.
(In case you’re wondering. He did not teach me how to introduce myself in Cantonese. He taught me how to say something that shouldn’t be repeated on a nice wholesome food blog such as this one, while telling me that he had taught me how to introduce myself.)
(To the pretty Asian girl, this is a little late…but I apologise. I didn’t know what I was saying (literally). And I’m sure your family are wonderful people.)
Jump to:
What is Hong Kong-style French toast?
You can think of Hong Kong-style French toast like regular French toast…on steroids – a deep fried, milky, egg-battered sandwich, stuffed generously with peanut butter/jam, and topped with sweetened condensed milk. It’s everything you could want for sweet indulgent brunch.
Hong Kong-style French toast is a speciality of Hong Kong’s cha chaan tengs (these are Hong Kong’s many street cafes that often combine Hong Kong and western cuisines to create some wonderful dishes. Cha chaan teng translates literally to “tea restaurant”).
And if you’d prefer to experience this recipe on YouTube, check out my Hong Kong French Toast recipe video.
What does it taste like?
Crispy on the outside, custard-y on the inside, and full of whatever spread you’ve chosen. The condensed milk adds sweetness from the moment you bite into it.
Tips to make the best Hong Kong-style French toast
Generally a lot of the tips to making great (regular) French toast will apply here too. Let’s go through them quickly:
Picking the right bread
Arguably the most crucial element of French toast is making sure you have the right kind of bread: something that’ll soak up the custard to create a creamy inside, and a crispy outside…without just falling to pieces. You’ll want a thick cut bread such as milk bread, challah, or brioche.
How thick should the bread be? Depending on how deep your frying pan is, ideally a half-inch to one-inch thick slices.
Ideally, whatever bread you use should be slightly stale. Nothing crazy, you don’t want to use a biscuit that may or may not have been a slice of bread in a former life. Just standard day-old bread will do.
Don’t oversoak or under-soak each slice
It can be a bit finicky getting this step right (especially if you’re not a regular French toaster). Oversoak your bread and you can run into two problems. First, your bread may start to fall apart. And second, you won’t have enough custard left for your other slices!
Under-soak, and you’ll have a different problem – your final dish will be missing that heavenly custardy centre that’s made French toast a brunch favourite.
Mix the custard properly
It’s important mix the custard thoroughly…unless you want pieces of egg white gracing the top of your Hong Kong French toast. (If you’re feeling a little extra, you can go as far as straining the custard.)
Easy flavour variations
Given the nature of this breakfast, it’s easy to switch it up (or customise it for each mouth that needs feeding). Let’s go through some of my favourite options. I’ve actually included the first three options in my photos, as well as in the recipe video, so you can get a visual. I’m good like that.
- Peanut butter – the classic flavour, you can go smooth or crunchy, but you can never go wrong with this option…unless you have a nut allergy. In which case, please safely enjoy one of the nut-free options below, bestie.
- Strawberry jam (or any jam, really) – Strawberry jam is my jam. It’s delicious. It’s my personal favourite. And if you’re feeling a little cheeky, go ahead and mix in a little peanut butter for some PB+J Hong Kong style French toast action.
- Nutella – …or any other delicious chocolate spread. (This is so good. It’s basically dessert for breakfast.)
- Condensed milk & peanut butter filling – Spread one side of the bread with peanut butter, and condensed milk on the other. Cook it up, and top it off with more condensed milk or some golden syrup.
- Coconut Jam – I believe this is one of the more traditional options in Hong Kong, though I’ve never actually tried it myself!
- If you really enjoy that classic French toast flavour, consider adding some whole milk, a little vanilla extract, and a dash of cinnamon to your custard.
Drizzle options
I used condensed milk for this recipe, however you can easily switch it out or combine with other sweet drizzles such as honey, golden syrup, or maple syrup. I know of a couple of Hong Kong style cafes here in Toronto that warm up a few tablespoons of peanut butter to create a drizzle.
How to store Hong Kong-style French toast
While best eaten fresh, you can store your deliciously golden brown HK French toast in an airtight container for 1-2 days. Make sure to not drizzle on any condensed milk until just before you’re ready to eat. When it’s time to eat, pop it into the microwave for 20-30 seconds – please be mindful of how hot the filling gets. I don’t want you burning your tongue!
More French toast recipes to check out
- Perfect French Toast
- Nutella & Dark Chocolate Stuffed French Toast
- S’mores French Toast
- Strawberry Cream Cheese French Toast Bake
Helpful tools
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Rejoice! No fancy equipment required for this recipe.
So…Hong Kong-style French toast. What do you think of it? Have you tried it before? Or will you be making it this weekend? Let me know in the comments below!
Also, if you’re able to teach me how to introduce myself in Cantonese, I would appreciate it.
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📖 Recipe
Hong Kong Style French Toast
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2–3 sandwiches 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Hong Kong-style French toast is a deep fried, milky, egg-battered sandwich, stuffed generously with peanut butter/jam, and topped with sweetened condensed milk. It’s everything you could possibly want for sweet indulgent brunch.
Ingredients
- 4–6 slices thick cut bread (challah, milk bread, brioche are all great)
- Peanut butter/Nutella/Strawberry Jam, to taste
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Condensed milk, for drizzling
Instructions
- Spread a generous amount of peanut butter (or whichever spread you’re using) on a slice of bread – make sure to add a little extra peanut butter to the very centre of the slice. Sandwich it using a second slice. Repeat for all sandwiches.
- Whisk together eggs in a bowl. Dip your peanut butter sandwich into the whisked egg, allowing it a few seconds to soak in the eggs. Flip and repeat for the other side.
- Heat oil over medium-high in a deep-sided pan. Carefully add the stuffed French toast to the pan, and cook until golden and crispy; turn over, and repeat for the other side.
- Once cooked, remove and lay on some paper towels (or a wire rack) to drain any excess oil.
- Slice the sandwiches however you like, drizzle with a little condensed milk. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
- Egg bowl shouldn’t be too much bigger than your slices as this will ensure that the whisked eggs coat your bread.
- Use whichever spread you prefer. I’m using peanut butter as an example in the recipe because I don’t want to write a sentence that sounds like “spread your spread on the bread.” Also, peanut butter is yummy.
- You want to use enough oil that it reaches about halfway up the side of your bread. If you have access to a deep fryer, you can use that too.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Hong Kong
Keywords: Hong Kong Style French Toast, Hong Kong French Toast, French Toast, peanut butter, nutella, strawberry jam
Laura
Wow this looks sinfully delicious 🙂 Would love to try that coconut jam with it.. also great photos!
★★★★★
Riz
Thanks so much, Laura!! I hope you enjoy it!
Vanessa
This sounds insanely good…pinning for a future special brunch!
★★★★★
Riz
Thanks Vanessa! I hope you have a special brunch soon 🙂
Bernice Hill
hahaha! Everyone should have a room mate like this at least once in their lives. This French toast looks super extra. Not sure I could handle it but I’m pretty sure my husband would love it!
★★★★★
Riz
Hahaha, thanks Bernice! I agree! I hope your husband enjoys it! 🙂
Felica K
Looks SO delicious!. Just a quick question, though. Do you mean SWEETENED condensed milk as plain condensed milk is not very tasty on its own. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Riz
Hi Felica! Yes…sweetened condensed milk for sure! I didn’t realise that the unsweetened version is also called condensed milk in some places (I’ve only seen it called evaporated milk!). Thanks for commenting!! And I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Ginni @ginniskitchen
This recipe looks super-indulgent, so tempting and drool worthy. A must try for a family Sunday breakfast, fabulous idea.
★★★★★
Riz
I hope you and yours enjoy it this Sunday, Ginni!
Geeky Daddy
Holy Cow this looks amazing! I’ve always been a big Monte Cristo fan, but looking forward to trying this sweet, sweet breakfast goodness!
★★★★★
Riz
Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy it! It’s an indulgent favourite of mine!
Amy Langhm
5 stars because I love watching that drizzle. But seriously – this was delicious. We made it this afternoon with cherry jam and it was SCRUMPTIOUS!
★★★★★
Riz
Hi Amy! So glad you enjoyed them!
ad
I love a grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Your recipe just takes this over the top. Can hardly wait to try it.
Riz
Thanks! I hope you enjoy it!!
Anissa Otero
I love this recipe and will be making it tomorrow morning. I know my family and I will love this! Love you and these wonderful recipes!
★★★★★
Riz
Thanks so much for your kind words, Anissa!!! I hope you and the family enjoy it! This was one of my favourite recipes to work on this year. 🙂
Liz
Oh my goodness!!! This looks decadent and delectable!!! Can’t wait to try it!! I grew up in Indonesia where we had sweetened condensed milk with lots of things – I can’t believe I never thought of trying it on french toast! I’m so glad I stumbled across your blog – so many delicious recipes on here! Thanks for sharing! (P.S. I grew up in boarding school, too, so can relate to parts of your experience as well)
Riz
Hi Liz/fellow boarder! Thanks for your comment, I’m so glad you found me!! I hope you enjoy it! (You’re right, sweetened condensed milk is perfect on so many things. And it’s great on French Toast!)
Betty Burgin
Years ago I would go to a little French cafe , they had French toast that sees like this one but they used cream between the layers, I’m excited to try this..
Riz
Hi Betty! Fingers crossed this lives up to your French cafe memories! (Cream between the layers does sound delicious!)
DD
I’m a HK native and this is my sorta soul food. Major thumbs up!! BTW I died laughing about your comment regarding that lady’s family being nice, I think I know the phrase your roommate taught you and as far as insults go, it’s one of the best to keep in your back pocket 😂
★★★★★
Riz
LOL! Thanks so much, DD! I’m glad you enjoyed the story too!
Horse Saddlery
It looks amazing. I would love to try this but when I got time from my business.
★★★★★
Riz
Hope you find some time soon!