Panko French Toasts

I've been craving for fried mantou since yesterday but making it is not an option right now.  It's such a long process just prepping the dough and by the time it's steamed and fried; the craving would have been long lost.  I thought of something to make as an alternative and while surveying my fridge saw white bread which is intended for my brick toast.  Whoa, it's been in the fridge forever.  Thank God it's in the spot with the coldest temperature so it was safe with nary a sign of mold or any undesirable spots.  I guess it also helped that I bought it fresh and it stayed in the fridge since then- unopened.  And so I came with the bright idea of making Panko French toasts but skipping the maple syrup with condensed milk as dipping sauce ala fried mantou.

The first thing I did is remove the ends of the bread and cut them into triangles.  Four thick slices came down to 8 triangles.  Then I whisked 2 large eggs with a cup of whole milk with no sugar.  Let the condensed milk take care of the sweetness.  So I had two plates beside each other on my work table- one with the milk-egg mixture and the other with Panko bread crumbs

Then I dipped the bread slices in the milk-egg mixture (all sides) before rolling them on the Panko bread crumbs (all sides as well)

Then to the non-stick pan with melted unsalted butter they went  (on medium high heat)

Make sure to brown all sides like this

Transfer to a plate and then serve with condensed milk

I just drizzled some on mine and topped with fresh blackberries

The toasts are crunchy outside and soft inside; with the creamy sweetness coming from the condensed milk and a pleasant sweet and tart berry freshness from the blackberries.

Delicious down to the last bite!

Who wants fried mantou now?  I certainly don't- until the next craving :-)