Yucatán-Style French Toast
Caballeros Pobres
Recipe Yield
6 to 8 servings
Cooking time
45 minutes
Rate this recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup raisins or to taste
- 1 ceylon or true cinnamon stick
- 3 whole cloves
- 2 tablespoons Dry Sherry optional
- 6 eggs separated
- 1 cup milk
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1 large French baguette or thick baguette of your choice cut into 3/4-inch slices
- 1/2 cup chopped almonds
To Prepare
- Place a medium saucepan with the water, sugar, raisins, cinnamon and cloves over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and let it cook until it achieves the consistency of a light syrup and the flavors from the spices have infused the liquid, about 35 minutes. Turn off the heat. If you like a hint of alcohol in your dessert, add the sherry. Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves. Cover to keep warm.
- Meanwhile, beat the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer or with a hand mixer over medium-high speed until they hold stiff peaks. Reduce the speed to low, add the yolks one by one and continue beating just until incorporated, so the volume will not decrease much.
- In a large bowl, combine the milk, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, stir until incorporated.
- Set the bowl with the milk mixture beside the bowl with the beaten egg whites and yolks.
- Fill a large sauté pan with about 1/4-inch of oil and heat over medium heat until hot, but not smoking, and you see ripples in the oil when you tilt the pan.
- One at a time, dunk each piece of bread in the milk mixture until soaked, immediately dip into the egg mixture to completely cover, and place the coated slice in the hot oil. Fry for about a minute on one side, until golden brown, flip to the other side and do the same. Add as many bread pieces as will fit into the pan without over-crowding. When finished frying, place the bread pieces on a baking dish covered with paper towels to drain.
- Traditionally, the “poor gentleman” pieces are placed on a platter, covered with the syrup and refrigerated. But I think they are a thousand times tastier served hot! Cover the pieces with warm syrup, sprinkle chopped almonds on top and serve.
- If you have leftovers, cover the battered and fried bread pieces with the remaining syrup and almonds, and store covered in the refrigerator. I admit they are also fabulous cold.
Comments
31comments inYucatán-Style French Toast
Cindy McCoy
Mar 26
Which of your cook books has the Yucatan French Toast recipe? Would like to purchase it.
Pati Jinich
Mar 29
That recipe is not in any of my books Cindy 🙂
Aurelia
Mar 06
I make this for my Easter Brunch get together every year! My family always makes sure I make it! It is absolutely delicious and easy to make.
Pati Jinich
Mar 08
So glad to hear this has become a tradition at home Aurelia, un abrazo!
Tom
Nov 14
Thank you for sharing this Pati. It was liked by my family.
Pati Jinich
Dec 28
Yay, love to read this. Abrazos to all Tom!
Violet Ewing
Apr 04
Me da hambre solo viendo todos esos fotos con platos de delicias !
Pati Jinich
Apr 04
🙂 Que alegria Violet 🙂
Judy
Apr 03
Followed the directions although cut the recipe in half for only 2 people. Turned out delicious and wonderful. Love watching your television shows and have tried many of your recipes.
Pati Jinich
Apr 04
SO glad you enjoyed this recipe and tuning in Judy, thank you!
Yamil Espana
Apr 03
Thanks, I will try it
Pati Jinich
Apr 04
Yay! Enjoy 😉
Paula
May 25
Mine came out greasy, though still incredibly delicious! Any suggestions as to what mistake I made that made them come out greasy? I love your show, Pati!
Pati Jinich
May 28
Hey Paula, if these are greasy to your taste, just use less oil to fry them 😉
Mardell
Jul 26
We loved this and not hard to make!
Pati Jinich
Jul 27
That’s great to hear, Mardell.
Danielle M.
Apr 26
I saw this recipe on your breakfast show with the mexican style coffee you made with the Ceylon cinnamon. I was looking for Ceylon cinnamon but can’t find it in the stores around me so I was going to order it online. Is there any particular brand or supplier you would recommend?
Pati Jinich
Apr 30
Oh I usually get it at my local Latin store…if you can’t find it online, you can also use any cinnamon you find, Danielle.
RoseAnn
Apr 21
Made this French toast for my Easter brunch. Pati it was a huge hit . Thank you so much!!!! Your the best!
Pati Jinich
Apr 21
I’m so glad you had a great brunch, RoseAnn!
Nate
Apr 02
I hope I don’t work this weekend, because these look absolutely perfect. I can’t wait to make them for my girlfriend!
Pati Jinich
Apr 08
Hope you guys love the french toast!
Jim D
Jan 03
This is THE french toast recipe I will use from now on. I love recipes from this part of the world.
Pati
Jan 04
Thank you so much Jim!
Andyb
Oct 02
Oh. My. God.
This turned out beautifully…and delicious!
I used an additional 1/2 Tbsp of vanilla because, well, I love vanilla.
I used golden raisins plumped in boiling orange juice.
I also added 1/4 cup heavy cream to the milk mixture.
Thank you so much for this recipe. ?
Pati
Oct 04
MMMMMMM!!!!!! Great additions! Thank you for trying it!
Trina
Mar 23
French toast is not hard to make and is a delightful plate. However, it is not simple to know exactly,Many people are looking for information about how to make French toast. There are many different French toast bread recipes available.
Sue Hale Hayes
May 12
I have noticed every Country has a signature Recipe that is very much as another Country.Corn is a staple in the South & so is Rice.This Recipe is delicious & Miss.Pati has created a great reditioin of whomever lays claim first.
Pati
May 12
Gracias Sue!
serenpoly
May 02
It’s interesting that this is called ‘Caballeros Pobres’. In England, an alternated name for French Toast is ‘Poor Knights of Windsor’. According to the website “The Foods of England’, French toast is called ‘poor knights’ “throughout northern Europe, from Germany (Armer Ritter) to Finland (köyhät ritarit)”.
The earliest known recipe for ‘poor knights’ is apparently from 1658, although there are similar recipes from the 15th century.
Pati
May 03
Really fascinating, you know how ideas and recipes travel around the world! Maybe there was some form of connection there too, where the Spaniards brought that idea of the dish to Mexico. After all, wheat and bread, was brought from the Old World…