Theo Michaels says: “This is a staple brunch dish in the bedlam that is a morning in the Michaels’ household. Easier to make than pancakes (and less messy when the kids ‘help’) but just as tasty. Serve hot with all the trimmings – a few berries and lashings of maple syrup. They will go quickly!”

Makes 4 slices

Ingredients

• 12 rashers smoked pancetta
• 4 just-ripe bananas
• butter, for cooking
• 4 eggs
• 4 large slices of thick-cut white bread
• pure maple syrup, for drizzling
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• any fresh berries, to serve
• icing sugar, to dust (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6.

Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

Arrange the strips of pancetta on top of a sheet of baking parchment and then lay a second sheet of baking parchment over the top, pat it down to stick to the pancetta and then pop it into the preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until the pancetta is cooked and crispy. (Placing the baking parchment on top helps to keep the rashers flat.)

Try to buy bananas that are just ripe because if they are too soft they tend to break up in the pan. Peel them and cut in half lengthways.

Heat a knob of butter in a frying pan and, once it’s melted, lay the bananas in the pan, cut-side down. Fry them for a few minutes until they have turned slightly golden and you can smell them.

Carefully turn them over using a fish slice and cook for a few minutes more, before removing them from the pan and setting aside.

Pour away any excess butter from the pan, but don’t wipe it.

Whisk the eggs in a wide-rimmed bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Working with one slice of bread at a time, dip it into the beaten eggs letting it soak for a few seconds, then coat the other side of the bread before laying it into the hot pan to cook for a few minutes on each side.

Repeat until all of your bread is transformed into french toast.

Top each slice of toast with crispy pancetta and a few slices of fried banana.

Drizzle maple syrup over the top, letting it meander down the sides, and add a few fresh berries, then add a little dusting of icing/confectioners’ sugar, if you fancy it.

From Share: Delicious Sharing Boards For Social Dining by Theo Michaels (£16.99, Ryland Peters & Small), out now 

Katy Beskow says: “Serve this indulgent delight for breakfast, brunch or dessert (or any time in between).”

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 rounded tsp strong instant coffee granules
• 2 tsp boiling water
• 200ml sweetened almond milk
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100g plain flour
• 4 slices of thick white bread
• 4 tsp caster sugar
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp cocoa powder
• 4 scoops of vegan vanilla ice cream

Method

Heat the sunflower oil in a griddle pan over a medium heat while you prepare the batter.

Add the coffee granules and boiling water to a large bowl to dissolve the grains. Pour in the almond milk, syrup, vanilla extract and flour, and use a balloon whisk to mix the batter until smooth.

Dip a slice of bread into the batter and coat on both sides, then use tongs to place on the hot griddle pan.

Turn after 2 minutes and cook until golden and crisp.

Repeat with each slice of bread, keeping the other slices warm on top of each other on a plate lined with kitchen paper to soak up excess oil.

When all the bread has been grilled, arrange on plates.

Mix together the sugar, cinnamon and cocoa powder, and sprinkle over the toasts.

Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and serve.

From 15 Minute Vegan Comfort Food: Simple & Satisfying Vegan Recipes by Katy Beskow (£15, Quadrille), out now

Nothing says ‘Saturday morning’ better than french toast. The orange mascarpone cuts perfectly through the thick, eggy brioche and you can flavour the figs with your favourite honey – rose, vanilla and ginger all work well.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 125ml mascarpone
• 2 tbsp single cream
• ½ tsp grated orange zest, plus extra to serve
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
• 4 ripe figs, cut in half lengthways
• clear honey, to drizzle
• 100g whole almonds
• 2 eggs
• 100ml milk
• ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 2–4 thick slices of brioche
• unsalted butter, for frying
• icing sugar, for dusting

You’ll also need:

• 2 baking sheets, greased and lined with baking parchment

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4.

Mix the mascarpone with the cream, orange zest and juice in a small mixing bowl. Cover and set aside or in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Place the figs, cut-side up, on one of the prepared baking sheets. Drizzle with honey and roast in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes until soft and caramelized.

Remove from the oven and set aside until you are ready to serve.

Meanwhile, scatter the almonds on the other baking sheet and bake in the same oven for 8–10 minutes until lightly golden.

Remove from the oven, cool completely then roughly chop.

To make the french toast, whisk together the eggs with the milk in a large mixing bowl. Add the vanilla and caster sugar, and whisk again.

Transfer to a shallow dish and set aside.

Melt a little butter in a large frying pan set over a medium heat.

Dip each slice of brioche in the egg mixture one at a time. Let the slices soak up the egg mixture for a few seconds, then turn over to coat the other side.

Place the egg-soaked brioche slices in the hot pan and cook until golden on the bottom.

Turn over and cook for a few minutes longer until each side is golden.

Transfer to a clean baking sheet and put in the still-warm oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining slices.

Cook the remaining toasts in the same way, adding a little more butter to the pan each time, if required.

To serve, cut the brioche in half diagonally. Overlap the triangles on the plate and top with the honey roast figs, orange mascarpone and toasted almonds.

Sprinkle with a little extra orange zest and dust with icing sugar.

From Surf-Side Eating: Relaxed Recipes Inspired By Coastal Living by Ryland Peters & Small (£16.99, Ryland Peters & Small), out now