Hong Kong French Toast (Custard Filling)
A decadent Hong Kong French toast made with a runny custard filling, pan fried until golden, then served with condensed milk and butter. Make this one for your Sunday brunch or as a delicious treat for a special occasion.
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
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)
- 3 cups whole milk
- 4 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.
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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 352kcal, Carbohydrates: 38.2g, Protein: 11.9g, Fat: 16.8g, Saturated Fat: 8.6g, Cholesterol: 225mg, Sodium: 489mg, Potassium: 208mg, Fiber: 0.8g, Sugar: 21.7g, Calcium: 221mg, Iron: 2mg