When it comes to iconic Hong Kong-style cafe dishes, Hong Kong French Toast holds a special place in everyone’s hearts. This indulgent, golden-brown treat, often paired with a hot cup of milk tea, is a comforting fusion of East-meets-West culinary creativity.
This dish is perfect for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day or your Sunday brunch, when you want something slightly more indulgent than your regular French toast.
What is Hong Kong French Toast?
Unlike its Western counterpart, Hong Kong French Toast takes decadence to the next level. Typically made with thick slices of milk bread, the toast is generously slathered with peanut butter, or custard in this recipe, dipped in an egg milk batter, and pan fried to perfection. It’s then served with a generous drizzle of condensed milk and topped with a pat of butter. The result? Crispy, golden edges encasing a soft, pillowy interior that bursts with flavor.
Hong Kong French toast ingredients
Ingredients for the toast
- Milk bread
- Whole milk
- Eggs
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Butter
- Sweetened condensed milk
Ingredients for the filling
This recipe uses a sweet custard filling to replace the traditional peanut butter. It’s a dish we’ve tried at some modern Chinese restaurants in New York. We really loved it and wanted to share it with you! You only need six simple ingredients:
- Salted duck egg yolks
- Milk powder
- Cornstarch
- Butter
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
This is a very simple recipe for the custard. By simply mixing these ingredients together, you will have a runny custard once the French toast is cooked.
Why salted duck egg yolks?
Salted duck egg yolks add a savory taste to the sweet filling, making the flavor richer. I used whole boiled duck eggs in my recipes. You can either use this type, or buy the vacuum sealed pack of duck egg yolks (for baking). Note, sometimes the vacuum sealed duck egg yolks are not cooked. In this case, you need to bake them first so you can easily mash them to make the filling.
How to make Hong Kong French toast
First, make the custard filling by mashing the egg yolks with powdered milk and cornstarch. Then further mix in the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. It will form a gooey filling that’s spreadable. And it becomes a runny custard once the French toast is cooked.
Then prepare the toast by slicing off the edges for the best texture. And make a dent in the center for the filling.
Add some condensed milk to the edges of the toast so the toast can be sealed later. Then add a generous amount of custard filling in the center.
Close the toast by adding another slice of bread on top and press the edges to seal. Then soak the toast in the milk and egg mixture.
Then all you need to do is to pan fry the toast until golden on both sides.
How to serve Hong Kong French toast
Serve Hong Kong French toast while it is still warm so the custard filling is still runny. On the side, I always prepare condensed milk, butter and some sliced fruits.
No Hong Kong French Toast experience is complete without a classic milk tea (you can use this recipe without the boba) or a refreshing iced lemon tea. The robust flavors of the tea perfectly complement the rich, buttery toast, creating a harmonious balance.
Hong Kong French Toast isn’t just a snack. It’s an indulgent treat you’ll want to share with your special ones!
Have you tried Hong Kong French Toast before? Let me know your favorite toppings or pairings in the comments below!
Other sweet treats for special occasions
- Black Sesame Ice Cream (No-Churn)
- Matcha Cake
- Black Sesame Chocolate Truffles
- Mango Sticky Rice
- Chinese Walnut Cookies (核桃酥)
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Hong Kong French Toast (Custard Filling)
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 to 3 salted duck egg yolks (*Footnote 1)
- 1/2 tablespoon milk powder
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons softened salted butter (if using unsalted, add 1/4 tsp salt)
- 1/2 cup powdered confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric for color (optional)
French toast
- 5 to 6 1” thick slices milk bread (or 8–12 standard slices of bread, with crusts removed, ideally slightly stale) (*Footnote 3)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 6 eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Butter , for cooking
- 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk , for sealing toasts and drizzling
Instructions
To prepare the filling
- Add the salted duck egg yolks into a small bowl, mash up with a fork until smooth (*Footnote 1), and add the powdered milk and cornstarch. Mash to combine.
- Then add the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt (if using), and turmeric (if using). Continue mixing and mashing until smooth.
To make the French toast
- Make a batter: Whisk the eggs thoroughly in a large bowl. Add the milk, salt, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
- To assemble the toasts: Cut the thick slices of bread almost all the way in half horizontally, leaving one edge attached (*Footnote 2). Press down on the inside of the bottom piece of bread, creating a pocket in the center. Spread a thin layer of sweetened condensed milk around edges, acting as a glue to seal toast. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the egg custard filling in the center of the bread. Place the top piece of the bread over it. Press the edges gently to seal. Set aside and assemble the remaining pieces in the same way.
- Cook the toast: Cook one toast at a time. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a nonstick pan over medium heat until hot and bubbling. When the pan is hot and almost ready to use, dip an assembled toast in the batter mixture, submerging and soaking both sides for about 20 seconds each. Remove from batter, allowing excess batter to drip off, and quickly add it to the hot pan. Cook about 2 minutes per side, adjusting heat as needed and flipping carefully. Once done, transfer to a serving plate. Cook the rest of the toasts using the same method, adding more butter between batches as needed.
- Serve hot immediately with extra butter and sweetened condensed milk. Add a piece of butter onto the hot toast, if desired. Drizzle condensed milk over the toast before eating.
Video
Notes
- If you use whole cooked salted duck eggs, you can use the yolks directly by slicing the eggs in half and scooping out the yolks. If using packaged raw duck egg yolks, bake them at 350°F (176°C) for 10 minutes. The packaged duck yolks are harder to mash, so you can use a small blender to help break them apart evenly.
Use 2 egg yolks for a very mild taste and a filling that tastes more like sweet custard. Use 3 yolks if you prefer a stronger and more savory taste. - This helps the stuffed French toast stay together better during cooking, but you might find it harder to keep the toast attached if using very stale bread. It’s OK to slice it all the way through as well.
- If using fresh bread, toast the bread first so your French toast will come out with a better texture.
- Recipe update note: This recipe is updated by April 11, 2025 with a different milk and egg ratio. When we originally tested the recipe, we used very thick cut and stale milk bread. The bread slices soaked up a lot of liquid, so we made a batter with 3 cups milk and 4 eggs to acquire enough batter. After reader’s feedback, we realized that the thick milk bread is less common, and a regular toast will come out with a nicer texture using a ratio of 2 cups milk and 6 eggs.
Nutrition
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Vivian
I made this with half as much milk in the batter and it still came out too soggy, and poured most of the batter down the drain. How is this meant to use 3 cups of milk???