Rachel Khoo: Brunch in bed

Breakfast in bed in my little Paris flat hasn’t got much in common with the usual connotations of boudoir eating.

When my futon is unfolded it takes up the majority of the small space I call home, so all I need to do is step off the end and I’m in my kitchen. Sometimes when the early morning effort of folding away the futon seems too much, I’ve been known to whip up a quick brekkie and snuggle back under the sheets.

But laziness aside, there is nothing quite like sharing breakfast in bed with a loved one. You may have already wooed them into bed, but this recipe for brioche French toast is a sure-fire way to keep them there.

Brioche French toast with maple bacon, berries and ricotta

Serves two

4 rashers of bacon

1 tbsp maple syrup

60g ricotta

1 tsp grated lemon zest

1 egg

150ml milk

1 tbsp sugar

4 slices of brioche

1 tbsp butter

50g redcurrants and blackcurrants

1 tbsp icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Arrange the bacon rashers on a rack over a foil-lined baking tray. Pop in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until the fat has rendered but is not brown. Remove and place on kitchen towel to absorb the grease. When cool, brush both sides with the maple syrup and a generous dose of black pepper. Return the rashers to the rack and bake for another 5 minutes.

Mix the ricotta with the lemon zest. Beat the egg with the milk and sugar and place in a dish. Dunk the brioche slices in the eggy milk and turn over so each side is well coated. Place the butter in a frying pan on a medium heat. Fry the brioche slices on each side for 1-2 minutes until golden. Place on a plate. Top with the bacon, a spoonful of ricotta and some berries and dust icing sugar over the top.