Crunchy. Sweet. Delicious. Heaven on a plate. Serve with your favorite jam, ice cream, and/or with maple syrup. Serve in bed, at the table, or while using your girlfriend as a table in bed.
6-8 slices challah or brioche bread, around 1 inch thick
2 cups half and half
1 cinnamon stick
2 cardamom seeds
1 tsp vanilla extract or sugar
1 tsp orange zest
3 eggs
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
pinch of salt
butter, for frying
Combine the cream, sugar, cinnamon stick, cardamom, and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over low to medium heat. Once the milk is heated through and begins to bubble remove from the stove and set aside to cool completely. (PS if you add some cocoa or coffee to that mix thats the best latte you’ll ever have). Watch the stove carefully though, because that milk can boil over the pot and you will have a very big mess to clean if you miss it.
In a large bowl whisk the eggs with the salt, sugar, orange zest, and maple syrup. You can also add a litter of your favorite rum or cognac to this mix at this point for a more adult version. Whisk in the cooled milk (after having removed the cardamom and cinnamon), and soak the bread in this mixture for at least 5 minutes.
Add 1 tbsp butter to a frying pan, and lay a couple of slices of the bread in the pan. It will take about 1-2 minutes per side on medium-high heat. Once the bottom side turns golden brown, carefully flip the bread. The second side usually goes faster.
Serve with a pat of butter and your favorite french toast condiments. Enjoy.
photo via http://mikes-table.themulligans.org/
koshericious
