When I visit Hong Kong, I love dining at cha chaan tengs, the quirky tea cafés. Hong Kong-Western menus often include baked pork chops, quick noodles, and curry. Very cool.
My family had Hong Kong-style french toast at cha chaan teng on a recent vacation. Deep-fried, egg-battered bread with fruit jam makes a tasty breakfast treat, but not every day! My four-year-old demanded we make one of his favorite Hong Kong meals at home.
Hong Kong-style french toast is deep-fried thick-sliced white bread, eggs, and kaya coconut jam with lots of butter and sweetened condensed milk. The sweet french toast is crispy on the exterior but soft and chewy inside. Si Yik near Stanley Market in Hong Kong provided this authentic article.
Buy white bread, Black and White sweetened condensed milk, and kaya jam in a Chinese market. Similar products from a suburban American store (such as fruit jam or peanut butter instead of kaya) will also work.
8 slices of white bread 2 eggs 3 tablespoons milk Fruit jam (or peanut butter) Butter Sweetened condensed milk (or maple syrup) Vegetable oil for deep frying
Slice the bread lengthwise and remove the crusts.
Before putting together the sandwiches, spread the fruit jam over the bread.
Mix the milk and eggs until well combined.
An inch and a half of vegetable oil should be heated to 300 degrees in a small pan.
Coat a sandwich lightly with the egg mixture on all sides. Fry in the oil for approximately three minutes, or until golden brown on both sides.
After taking the french toast out of the pan, set it on a cloth to drain. Cook the other half of the sandwiches in the same way.
Spread butter and sweetened condensed milk on top of each sandwich and serve hot.