Sweet, cinnamon-dusted bread in a light batter spiked with orange juice is a nice way to start the day. The bread should be at least a day old, or it will soften too much in the batter. Serve with poached winter fruits or summery imported mango, cut into cubes and spritzed with lime.

Ingredients
Feeds 2. Takes 20 mins.

1 day-old baguette
2 eggs
100ml milk
tsp cinnamon
1tbsp fresh orange juice
1 ready-to-eat fresh mango or other fruit
2tbsp butter
1tbsp caster sugar or 1tbsp runny honey
1 lime, halved

Cut the breadstick on a severe diagonal into six medium slices. Beat together the eggs, milk, cinnamon and orange juice in a bowl to form a smooth batter.

If serving mango, cut the cheeks away from the central stone. Using the tip of a sharp knife, score the flesh to the skin in a cross-section then fold the cheek “inside-out” and shear off the cubes of mango.

Melt the butter in a nonstick frying pan. Dip each slice of bread into the batter, then place it straight into the pan. Fry on both sides until golden, without allowing the butter to burn. If you get into trouble remove the toasts, wipe out the pan, add fresh butter, and return the toasts to the pan. When crisped and golden, drain the toasts on a fold of kitchen towel and arrange on two warm plates.

Scatter with a little sugar or drizzle with honey, and serve with the fruits and half a lime for squeezing.

Times Recommends

• Jane MacQuitty’s party wine
• Oliver Peyton's Christmas pavlova
• Blood orange cosmopolitan