Hawaiian Bread French Toast

November 28: National French Toast Day

Besides chocolate candy bars and huli huli chicken, sweet bread was one of Islander’s elementary school fundraising items in Hawaii. The round, Portuguese egg bread was  a morning staple for her ‘ohana. They would cut it in wedges and eat it plain—simply delicious.

So when Islander moved to the mainland, she noticed that the Portuguese sweet bread was rebranded into the more popular Hawaiian bread rolls. Some grocers still carry the round loaves and we have seen a few Protestant churches use them for communion.

Whether it is called Portuguese sweet or Hawaiian bread, it makes a delicious French toast because it is light and fluffy. Serve with coconut syrup and this basic breakfast becomes a tropical treat. Try Hawaiian bread for French toast on National French Toast Day.

Recipe

(Adapted from King’s Hawaiian)

Ingredients

  • 1 round loaf of King’s Hawaiian bread, sliced 1-inch thick
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ cup milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Butter or oil for greasing the pan/skillet

Directions

In a bowl, beat the eggs with the milk. Stir in the vanilla and ground cinnamon.

Slice the bread an inch thick, halving the larger pieces. Dip (do not soak) the bread slices in the egg mixture. Brown each side on a greased skillet. Transfer to a plate. Serve warm with syrup.

Notes