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Challah French Toast

Our challah French toast is dipped in a vanilla-infused custard with egg and cinnamon and lightly fried to perfection.

The Backstory: Jewish or not Jewish, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t go weak in the knees at their first bite of Challah French Toast (and if they didn’t go all bendy, then I probably couldn’t trust them anyway. But I digress…) What I love most about this recipe is that it was one of my favorite things to cook for my father. When my dad used to visit me in Andover, Massachusetts, he would always wake up early, be showered, freshly shaved, and dressed before anyone else in the house was even thinking about getting out of bed. I think my dad’s 30+ years as a bagel baker made him a perpetual early riser (no pun intended) long after he stopped making bagels. He was always up as soon as the sun rose, as if he needed to light the kettle, make a dough, and get ready for the morning’s customers. More of the Backstory after the recipe

Challah French Toast

Challah French Toast ---Jewish or not, this recipe is universal,  It's  easy to make, and the only recipe you will  ever need.  Besides it's down right delicious. 

Course Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine Jewish
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 - 1 1/4 cups milk whole or 2 percent
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 8 slices challah cut 3/4 to 1 inch thick
  • vegetable or canola oil
  • berries or sliced bananas for garnish
  • maple syrup
  • Confectioner's sugar for dusting

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place a non stick pan in the oven. I like to put a silpat mat on mine but you don't need to, so long as the pan is non-stick. You'll use this pan to keep the French toast warm until ready to serve.
  2. In a large shallow bowl (I use a deep pie dish), whisk the eggs, milk, orange juice, honey, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon.
  3. Dip each slice of challah into the egg mixture, turning to make sure both sides are coated. Allow each slice to soak for a few minutes.
  4. While the bread slices are soaking, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  5. Let the excess egg mixture drip off of each slice before placing in the skillet. Cook each bread slice about 3 minutes per side until golden brown. Keep slices warm in oven until ready to serve.
  6. I like to cut each slice in half on the diagonal and arrange 2 or 3 slices per plate. Dust with confectioner's sugar and serve with sliced bananas or sliced strawberries and blueberries. I also like to serve with a small pitcher of warm (heat in the microwave) maple syrup.

More of the Backstory after the recipe

Challah French Toast

Challah French Toast ---Jewish or not, this recipe is universal,  It's  easy to make, and the only recipe you will  ever need.  Besides it's down right delicious. 

Course Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine Jewish
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 - 1 1/4 cups milk whole or 2 percent
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 8 slices challah cut 3/4 to 1 inch thick
  • vegetable or canola oil
  • berries or sliced bananas for garnish
  • maple syrup
  • Confectioner's sugar for dusting

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place a non stick pan in the oven. I like to put a silpat mat on mine but you don't need to, so long as the pan is non-stick. You'll use this pan to keep the French toast warm until ready to serve.
  2. In a large shallow bowl (I use a deep pie dish), whisk the eggs, milk, orange juice, honey, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon.
  3. Dip each slice of challah into the egg mixture, turning to make sure both sides are coated. Allow each slice to soak for a few minutes.
  4. While the bread slices are soaking, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  5. Let the excess egg mixture drip off of each slice before placing in the skillet. Cook each bread slice about 3 minutes per side until golden brown. Keep slices warm in oven until ready to serve.
  6. I like to cut each slice in half on the diagonal and arrange 2 or 3 slices per plate. Dust with confectioner's sugar and serve with sliced bananas or sliced strawberries and blueberries. I also like to serve with a small pitcher of warm (heat in the microwave) maple syrup.
On the days when he and my mom would visit, I loved making breakfast for my dad and Challah French Toast was always on the menu. Thick slices of sweet Challah bread dipped in a rich egg batter (with a hint of orange juice and vanilla), lightly fried to perfection and then dusted with powdered sugar and topped with sliced bananas and warm maple syrup..Just the thought of it is enough to make my mouth water.

Because my father was such a gifted baker in his own right, serving him a perfect meal was one of my life’s greatest achievements (when I did it right). To this day, and even as I write these words for you now, I can honestly see the look of pure joy on his face when he would take his first bite, smile at me, and give me a thumbs up and say (as he did every single time) “Home run!”

You’re welcome, Daddy.

 

 

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Jodi Luber

Jodi Luber

Here goes: Born in Brooklyn. Daughter of a bagel baker with a Henny Youngman soul and a mom who makes Joan Rivers seem tame. Late bloomer. Married the love of my life at 45 and love being a mom to our three kids. I'm a professor at Boston U. Happiest in the kitchen baking and remembering how my dad would melt from a single bite of my cheesecake.
Jodi Luber
Jodi Luber

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