Chocolate French Toast

Brace yourselves for the best French Toast EVER!  I’m not kidding, yesterday’s chocolate challah bread was, as I suspected, the perfect venue for French toast.  Not too sweet, but the right texture, it yielded a crusty-on-the-outside, puffed-and-creamy-on-the-inside French toast with a rich chocolate flavor.  The addition of the orange enhanced it even more, and I found myself moaning with pleasure at every bite.

Chocolate French Toast

2 extra-large eggs

3/4 cup half-and-half or milk

1 teaspoon grated orange zest 

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon maple syrup

½ teaspoon orange oil

Pinch of kosher salt

4 slices chocolate challah bread

Unsalted butter

Vegetable oil

To serve:

Pure maple syrup

Grated orange zest

Sifted confectioners' sugar 

In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, orange zest, vanilla, orange oil, maple syrup, and salt. Slice the challah into 3/4-inch thick slices. Soak slices in the egg mixture for 3 minutes, turning once.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a very large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the soaked bread and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Serve hot topped with orange zest, maple syrup, and confectioners' sugar.

This post is linked to:

On the Menu Monday

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday

What's Cooking Wednesday

Foodie Friday

Sunday's Best Party

Challah French Toast

How delicious does this look?  Well, let me tell you I've not had French Toast that tasted any better.  It was superb! I attribute part of it to the homemade challah that I made yesterday, and the other to Ina Garten's Challah French Toast recipe.  It's from her book Barefoot Contessa Family Style and it's worth buying the book for this recipe alone.  

Challah French Toast

6 extra-large eggs

1 1/2 cups half-and-half or milk

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon good honey

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large loaf challah or brioche bread

Unsalted butter

Vegetable oil

To serve:

Pure maple syrup

Good raspberry preserves (optional)

Sifted confectioners' sugar (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, orange zest, vanilla, honey, and salt. Slice the challah in 3/4-inch thick slices. Soak as many slices in the egg mixture as possible for 5 minutes, turning once.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a very large saute pan over medium heat. Add the soaked bread and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Place the cooked French toast on a sheet pan and keep it warm in the oven. Fry the remaining soaked bread slices, adding butter and oil as needed, until it's all cooked. Serve hot with maple syrup, raspberry preserves, and/or confectioners' sugar.

Slicing for French Toast making.