Orange Scented French Toast
Nothing says brunch quite like French toast. Thick slices of Challah bread are soaked in a rich egg custard scented with orange, honey and vanilla then gently cooked until toasted and golden on the outside, while creamy on the inside.
Equipment
- Large skillet or sauté pan
Ingredients
- 6 extra large eggs
- 1-½ cups half and half
- Zest of 1 orange, about 1 teaspoon
- 1-¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon orange oil or orange extract, optional
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large loaf Challah bread, about a 1-pound loaf
- 1-½ to 2 tablespoons butter, more if needed
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, more if needed
- Maple syrup for serving, powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Whisk together the eggs with the half and half, orange zest, vanilla extract, orange oil, honey, and the kosher salt. Blend making sure the honey is well blended into the custard base.
- Slice the Challah bread into one inch thick slices.
- Pour the egg mixture into a large baking dish. Place the Challah bread in the custard base and allow it to soak for about five minutes, then flip it to allow the bread to soak up the egg custard on both sides. Soak it for about 10 to 15 minutes total. Don’t skimp on this step, otherwise you’ll be cooking plain bread!
- Melt 1-½ tablespoons of the butter into 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter foams and the skillet is hot add the slices of soaked bread, allowing room between to turn the slices.
- Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes per side until the French toast is golden brown and the custard is cooked through.
Notes
You can keep the cooked French toast warm in a 200-degree oven by placing it on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet in the oven. The rack over the pan will keep the French toast from getting soggy on the bottom while keeping it nice and warm.
Challah freezes beautifully so I frequently have a loaf in my freezer. A large loaf of Challah bread will give you about 10 full slices plus a few smaller pieces. The bread will puff and expand as it cooks so one piece can be a serving especially if you’re serving as part of a brunch buffet. To be safe, you can count on two slices per person.