This easy barefoot contessa challah french toast is a delicious breakfast treat that’s both quick and simple to make. With creamy, egg-soaked bread and a crispy golden crust, it’s a perfect way to start your morning. You can easily swap ingredients based on what you have, like using brioche instead of challah, for a flexible and tasty dish.
Ingredients Needed
- 6 extra-large eggs
- 1½ cups (355 ml) half-and-half or milk
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) good honey
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large loaf of challah or brioche bread
- Unsalted butter
- Vegetable oil
- Pure maple syrup, for serving
- Good raspberry preserves (optional)
- Sifted confectioners’ sugar (optional)
How To Make Challah French Toast
- Prepare the egg mixture: Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C). In a large shallow dish, whisk together eggs, half-and-half (or milk), orange zest, honey, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Slice the bread and soak: Slice the challah into ¾-inch (2 cm) thick slices. Soak as many slices in the egg mixture as possible for 5 minutes, turning once.
- Cook the French toast: Heat 1 tablespoon (15 g) of butter and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the soaked bread slices and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned.
- Keep warm: Transfer the cooked French toast to a sheet pan and keep warm in the oven.
- Fry remaining slices: Fry the remaining soaked bread slices, adding butter and oil as needed, until all slices are cooked.
- Serve: Serve hot with pure maple syrup, raspberry preserves, and/or sifted confectioners’ sugar.
Recipe Tips
- Soak the bread well: Make sure the bread slices are fully soaked in the egg mixture for at least 5 minutes to absorb all the flavour and ensure a creamy inside.
- Use a large pan: A large sauté pan helps you cook more bread at once, making the process quicker and more even.
- Add a touch of cinnamon: For extra flavour, try adding a pinch of cinnamon to the egg mixture.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Cook the French toast in batches, as too many slices at once will lower the pan’s temperature and make the toast soggy.
- Keep the cooked slices warm: Place the cooked French toast in the oven on low heat to keep it warm while you finish cooking the rest.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Place leftover challah french toast in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Reheat leftover challah french toast for up to 1 month. After freezing, thaw in the fridge overnight or reheat in a toaster or oven.
- Reheating: Reheat leftover challah french toast in the oven 350°F for about 10 minutes or until heated through.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 250
- Total Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Cholesterol: 140mg
- Sodium: 230mg
- Potassium: 120mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 28g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 15g
- Protein: 6g
Try More Recipes:
Barefoot Contessa Challah French Toast
Description
This easy barefoot contessa challah french toast is a delicious breakfast treat that’s both quick and simple to make. With creamy, egg-soaked bread and a crispy golden crust, it’s a perfect way to start your morning. You can easily swap ingredients based on what you have, like using brioche instead of challah, for a flexible and tasty dish.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare the egg mixture: Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C). In a large shallow dish, whisk together eggs, half-and-half (or milk), orange zest, honey, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Slice the bread and soak: Slice the challah into ¾-inch (2 cm) thick slices. Soak as many slices in the egg mixture as possible for 5 minutes, turning once.
- Cook the French toast: Heat 1 tablespoon (15 g) of butter and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the soaked bread slices and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned.
- Keep warm: Transfer the cooked French toast to a sheet pan and keep warm in the oven.
- Fry remaining slices: Fry the remaining soaked bread slices, adding butter and oil as needed, until all slices are cooked.
- Serve: Serve hot with pure maple syrup, raspberry preserves, and/or sifted confectioners’ sugar.
Notes
- Soak the bread well: Make sure the bread slices are fully soaked in the egg mixture for at least 5 minutes to absorb all the flavour and ensure a creamy inside.
- Use a large pan: A large sauté pan helps you cook more bread at once, making the process quicker and more even.
- Add a touch of cinnamon: For extra flavour, try adding a pinch of cinnamon to the egg mixture.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Cook the French toast in batches, as too many slices at once will lower the pan’s temperature and make the toast soggy.
- Keep the cooked slices warm: Place the cooked French toast in the oven on low heat to keep it warm while you finish cooking the rest.
Barefoot Contessa Challah French Toast