Pain perdu... french toast with strawberries and Polynesian vanilla

Snow is on the ground outside and I need something sweet, indulgent and warm when it's so cold.

French toast made with brioche, free range eggs from Borough market and a Polynesian vanilla pod I brought home from Tahiti ticks all the boxes. Especially with strawberries...

Simply take a loaf of brioche, cut thick slices, and dunk in a mixture of egg, a splash of milk, beans from one vanilla pod and a teaspoon of caster sugar (I use vanilla sugar but regular works just as well).

Just because it looks pretty, I cut out my brioche with a heart cutter... then fry on both sides in butter for about a minute each.