Sorry to keep going on about pumpkin but having spend this season in the US in the last few years I got  into all things pumpkin and now associate them with autumn.

And after making the chewy pumpkin bars the other day I had some pumpkin puree left over. Some of it was put into pumpkin pancakes straight away but as there was enough to make pumpkin pie inspired french toast for breakfast the next morning as well.

I used wholewheat bread which with the spices and nuts worked really well but if you like a more classic French toast you might want to stick to white bread. Either way, don’t cut it too thin so it can soak in as much of the pumpkin spiced eggy mix as possible…

For 4 portions you will need

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
• 8 slices of bread (a few days old, slightly stale bread works well)

Whisk the eggs, milk, pumpkin puree, spices and nuts together in a bowl wide enough to fit a slice of bread into the bottom of it.

Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over a medium heat.

Soak both sides of one slice of bread at a time (stir the pumpkin mix in between, if the pecans are starting to sink to the bottom) then place it in the frying pan and cook it for about 3 minutes, until golden, on each side.

Serve with a little butter, maple syrup and a dusting of icing sugar.