Carthusian Toast (Karthäuser Klöße)

On By Justin BunchIn Dessert, Food, Franconia, Germany, Recipe
Carthusian Toast (Karthäuser Klöße)
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Carthusian Toast (Karthäuser Klöße)

Course: DessertCuisine: German, FranconianDifficulty: Easy

This dish, similar to French Toast, dates back to the 16th century, perhaps even earlier. According to legend, it comes from the order of Carthusian Monks who practiced a strict vow of poverty and community service. It uses only ingredients that would have been easily accessible to anyone at the time, and the recipe requires no special knowledge or skills to prepare. While the Carthusian monks originated first in France, this dish appears to be from somewhere in Catholic Southern Germany, likely Swabia or Franconia.

Ingredients

  • Toast

  • 6-8 Bread Rolls (Works best with denser bread)

  • 500ml milk

  • 2 eggs

  • 20g sugar

  • Salt

  • Bread crumbs

  • 100ml Frying oil

  • 50g Powered sugar

  • 10g Cinnamon (Optional)

  • Sauce

  • 250ml Milk

  • 1 Package of vanilla sauce or pudding mix (adjust milk amount if necessary)

  • 250ml White wine, apple wine, or other dessert wine (Optional)

  • 25g Powdered Sugar (If using the wine)

Directions

  • Start by removing the hard portion of the crust from the bread rolls using a cheese grater or similar, and then cut them in half.
  • Then pour the half-liter of milk over the bread, and turn the pieces to ensure they fully absorb the milk.
  • In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with 20g of sugar and a pinch of salt.
  • Remove each piece of bread and gently squeeze the excess milk back into the bowl, and set it aside on a plate.
  • Pour the remaining milk into the egg mixture and prepare a new bowl with a generous quantity of breadcrumbs.
  • Cover each bread roll first in the egg-milk mixture, then in the breadcrumbs.
  • Heat the oil in a small-ish pan to a medium-high temperature and fry each piece of bread until golden brown on each side.
  • Remove from the pan, and cover in powdered sugar (mixed with cinnamon if desired)
  • For the sauce, simply follow the instructions on the packet, which should involve heating the milk and adding the sauce mix. For the wine variation, boil the wine first with the milk and extra sugar, then add the sauce mix and let cool.

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