Poor Knights of Windsor

Poor Knights of Windsor is the British ancestor of French toast, and this version leans hard into the dessert side. Bread triangles get dunked in sherry, then egg yolk, then fried in butter until golden and crisp on the outside while the inside stays soft and wine-soaked.

The sherry soak is what separates this from a standard breakfast. It adds a warm, nutty sweetness that infuses the bread before the egg coating goes on. Use a medium or sweet sherry for the best flavor.

Crushed raspberries dusted with confectioner’s sugar macerate while you cook, releasing their juices into a bright, tart sauce. Spooned over the hot fried bread with a dollop of stiff whipped cream, the combination of warm, cold, crispy, and fruity is genuinely special.

A dusting of cinnamon on both sides of the hot bread bridges the warm sherry and the cool fruit beautifully.

Chef Tips

• Use day-old bread or let fresh slices sit out for an hour. Stale bread absorbs the sherry and egg without falling apart in the pan.
• Trim the crusts before dipping. Crusts don’t absorb the sherry well and get tough when fried.
• Fry in butter over medium heat, not high. The egg yolk coating browns quickly and the sugar in the sherry can scorch if the pan is too hot.
• Whip the cream ahead and keep it cold. It should be stiff enough to hold a peak on top of the warm bread without melting immediately.

Variations

• Strawberry version: Replace raspberries with sliced strawberries macerated in a spoonful of sugar.
• Brandy soak: Swap the sherry for brandy or cognac for a richer, more boozy flavor.
• Savory twist: Skip the fruit and sugar entirely, dust with just cinnamon and serve with maple syrup for a brunch take.