Pin it The first time I made Cloud Toast, I was trying to impress someone at brunch who'd just spent three weeks in Copenhagen raving about Scandinavian egg dishes. I had this moment of panic staring at four separated eggs, wondering if I could actually make something that looked like it belonged in a magazine. Then the mixer started running, the whites turned glossy and peaked, and suddenly I had these impossible clouds taking shape. It felt a little like magic, honestly.
I've made this for my partner three times now, and each time they pause before eating, just looking at the plate. That moment when someone realizes food can be both beautiful and delicious without pretension is why I keep making it. Plus, our cat once knocked the microgreens off the plate and seemed genuinely offended they weren't her kind of grass, which tells you something about how fresh and alive this dish looks.
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs, separated: The whites need to be completely separated from even a speck of yolk, or they won't whip properly. I learned this the hard way on attempt one.
- 2 thick slices sourdough bread: The hearty chew of sourdough holds up to the egg cloud without collapsing, and the tang plays beautifully with honey. Brioche gets too soft; regular sandwich bread disappears.
- 1 ripe avocado: This is your texture moment, and when it's perfectly ripe, everything changes. If it's still hard on Sunday, eat it Wednesday instead of forcing it.
- 2 teaspoons honey: Use something you actually enjoy tasting on its own. Raw honey adds a deeper flavor than processed, and it really matters here.
- Small handful microgreens: Peppery, delicate, and they add that final visual pop. Watercress works in a pinch if you're out of microgreens.
- Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper: Don't skip the flaky salt; it catches the light on your plate and adds texture that table salt can't match.
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional): A small brush of this over avocado slices prevents browning and brightens the whole dish if you're not eating immediately.
- Olive oil for brushing bread (optional): Just a light brush helps the toast crisp without drying out.
Instructions
- Get your oven ready:
- Preheat to 220°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This high heat creates that golden shell on the clouds while the inside stays pillowy.
- Toast your bread:
- Give those sourdough slices a light toast, about 3-4 minutes if you're using the oven, or a quick pass through a toaster. You want them structural but not brittle, because they're about to hold something delicate on top.
- Separate with care:
- Crack eggs over a small bowl, moving the yolk back and forth between shell halves to let whites slip down. Get every last drop of white into your main bowl, because even tiny specks of yolk will sabotage your peaks.
- Whip the whites:
- Start with an electric mixer on high; this takes about 3-4 minutes and you'll watch them transform from clear and runny to glossy, then thick, then into stiff peaks that stand straight up. It's one of those kitchen moments where you feel like an actual chef.
- Create your clouds:
- Spoon beaten whites onto parchment in two generous mounds, leaving some height. Make a small well in the center of each with the back of a spoon where the yolk will nestle.
- First bake:
- Slide these into the oven for exactly 3 minutes. They'll start to set and turn pale golden at the edges.
- Add the yolks:
- Remove from oven, gently slide one yolk into each well, then return to bake for another 3-4 minutes until whites are light golden and yolks feel just-set when you jiggle the pan slightly.
- Prepare your avocado:
- While everything bakes, halve your avocado, remove the pit, and peel carefully. Slice thinly lengthwise, then arrange slices in a slight fan and gently roll from one end into a rose shape. A quick brush of lemon juice keeps it looking fresh.
- Assemble with intention:
- Place each cloud on toasted bread, top with an avocado rose, drizzle with honey in a loose pattern, and scatter microgreens generously across the top.
- Season and serve:
- Finish with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then eat immediately while the toast is warm and everything is in perfect balance.
Pin it My favorite memory with this dish was when a friend who claims to hate eggs came over, skeptical and braced for disappointment. I placed the plate in front of her and watched her face shift as she cut into that cloud and the yolk ran slightly across the toast. She didn't even speak for a minute, just ate. That's when I knew this recipe was about more than breakfast; it was about unexpected joy in a plated moment.
The Science of the Cloud
What's happening in the oven is actually physics and chemistry becoming dinner theater. When you whip egg whites, you're trapping millions of tiny air bubbles in a protein matrix. Heat causes those proteins to bond and set, creating this structure that's somehow both fragile and sturdy. The yolk, which has a lower coagulation temperature than whites, stays creamy while the whites firm up around it. It's the same principle behind soufflés and meringues, but here we get to eat it on toast instead of pretending we understand French pastry.
Building Your Avocado Rose
The avocado rose is easier than it looks, and I say this as someone who made three collapsed roses before the fourth one actually resembled something from a garden. The key is patience and very thin, even slices. When you fan them out and begin rolling gently from one end, they'll naturally curl into a shape that looks intentional and almost impossible.
Variations and Occasions
This recipe loves flexibility in ways that surprise me. I've experimented with hot honey for a little heat and sweetness, good olive oil instead of honey for something more savory, even a sprinkle of dukkah for Middle Eastern warmth. Gluten-free bread works seamlessly if that matters in your kitchen. The base of whipped egg whites and perfectly set yolks is what makes this sing, and everything else is just finding your own note.
- Chili flakes add a surprising heat that complements the sweetness of honey beautifully.
- Fresh herbs like dill or tarragon scattered over the top bring brightness you won't expect.
- If avocados aren't in season or your budget, crispy bacon or prosciutto gives you that salty, textural element that makes people sit up and pay attention.
Pin it This dish quietly rewired how I think about breakfast. It proved that simple ingredients matter infinitely more than complexity, and that food which takes genuine care to plate becomes memory almost immediately. Make this when you want to feel like yourself at your finest.
Recipe FAQs
- → How do you achieve the cloud-like texture?
Whisking egg whites until stiff peaks form creates the airy structure needed for the fluffy clouds that bake into light pillows.
- → What kind of bread works best?
Thick slices of sourdough provide a sturdy, flavorful base that holds the egg clouds and toppings without becoming soggy.
- → How do you make the avocado roses?
Thinly slice avocado halves, fan the slices out, then gently roll them into rose shapes for an elegant presentation.
- → Can I substitute honey for another topping?
Yes, alternatives like hot honey or a drizzle of olive oil add different flavor notes while complementing the other ingredients.
- → Why add lemon juice to avocado slices?
Lightly brushing avocado with lemon juice prevents browning, keeping the slices fresh and visually appealing.