pain perdu au potiron

it's been ages since i've written here; in fact, i've only just remembered that i've an account. a lot has gone on since i've last written (i'll likely explain another time), but for now, i'm writing because i've got a pinterest account and want to post a recipe i created on a whim - which resulted in a dish i'm quite proud of!

as a bonus, it makes the house smell amazing. 

seriously. 

i've a bit of an obsession with pumpkin-flavoured and pumpkin-scented things, which includes a number of candles. after baking this awesome dish, my flat is full of the scent - no flame required.

so here it is:

pain perdu au potiron - or 'pumpkin french toast'

-- 200ml (between 3/4 & 1c) liquid egg whites

-- 100ml (just under ½c) skim(med) milk

-- ⅓ or ½ can (425g / 15oz) of pumpkin (i used ½, but you can use less if you want more subtle flavour)

-- 1-ish Tbsp of vanilla extract (i used a generous pour of JR Watkins' Vanilla Nut - delicious!)

-- ground cinnamon (to taste)

-- ground nutmeg (to taste)

-- 1 Tbsp spiced-pumpkin-flavoured butter (i used Country Crock's Pumpkin Spice - yum!)

-- 2½ - 3 Tbsp Splenda brown sugar (or equivalent) (separate 1 Tbsp for top)

-- 8-12 slices whole-grain or whole-wheat bread

-- large mixing bowl*

-- casserole/baking dish, 23 x 23cm (9x9in)*

*i used ceramics for both - easier clean-up!

preheat your oven to 325ºF (170ºC / gas mark 3).

in a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, & brown sugar (minus the 1 Tbsp). 

add the milk & egg whites and whisk until smooth.

spray your baking dish with cooking spray, or grease it up with butter, and pour a thin layer of the pumpkin mixture into the baking dish. 

tear up the bread slices and spread them evenly in the dish. once they're all in, pour the remaining mixture on top of the pieces. make sure they're all covered; i used a spoon to spread the mix round a bit. 

melt the pumpkin butter and add the brown sugar. mix it up a bit, and spoon it on top of the dish evenly (you can also use a spoon to spread it round, too, to cover it in full). sprinkle a few dashes of cinnamon & nutmeg on top, and pop it in the oven.

[a caveat: my oven is wonky in that it's impossible to tell how long it'll take to cook anything. i've cooked two full cheesecakes simultaneously in 18 minutes (without first preheating the oven), and chicken that took me 25 minutes in my old oven took my current one almost an hours' time. there is no consistency. 

plus, it's old.]

my assumption is that you'll probably cook it for about 10-15ish minutes, but honestly, just keep watch over it and take it out when you think it's time. leave a comment if you've got a better number, haha.

this is best served hot with syrup (i only have sugar-free, and it was good).

i might try this again and add some neufchâtel to the mix. i'll let you know how it goes if i do.

and if any of you readers end up making this for yourselves, tell me what you think of it. thanks for reading! ( 8