• Make the ricotta filling. Mix all in a small bowl.
• Make the custard. In a 9 x 13" (23 x 33cm) baking pan, whisk eggs until fully mixed. Then, mix in the remaining ingredients.
• Make the compote. Bring orange juice and corn starch to a boil on high, whisking often to remove white lumps.
• Add the remaining ingredients and cook at medium low for 15-20 minutes or until sauce becomes thick, jammy and prunes start to break down.
• Note: If at any point the compote becomes too thick, give it a splash of water.

Assembly

• Place all 8 pieces of sourdough on a sheet tray or work surface. Divide ricotta between 4 pieces of bread and top with the other side of bread so it looks like a ricotta “sandwich”.
• Heat a large non-stick pan or a griddle to medium high heat.
• Dip each sandwich in the egg custard so it’s fully dipped but don’t leave it in for more than a minute otherwise it might get soggy.
• Cook French toast, in batches (unless you have a large griddle) about 1-2 minutes, each side, until each side of bread is golden brown.
• Divide each French toast between 4 plates, top with prune compote, micro-planed lemon, picked thyme, sprinkle powdered sugar shaken with a sieve or sifter, a small pinch of finishing salt and drizzle with maple syrup.