Challah French Toast Recipes

BAKED CHALLAH FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg in a small bowl and mix to combine. Set aside. In a large bowl, add the milk, ricotta, vanilla, salt, eggs and lemon zest. Whisk to combine and set aside. Pour the melted butter in a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Dip each slice of bread lightly in the egg mixture and shingle the bread in the casserole dish, sprinkling a large pinch of the sugar mixture on each layer. Pour the remaining egg mixture on top of the bread and then pour the remaining sugar mixture on top. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the casserole for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the custard is set and the bread is golden brown, an additional 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the blueberries and lemon juice to a small saucepot. Cook over medium heat until the berries burst and thicken and the sauce begins to bubble, about 15 minutes.
• When ready to serve, spoon the blueberries over the center of the casserole and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

CHALLAH FRENCH TOAST WITH CINNAMON-SUGAR GLAZE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together milk, cream, eggs and egg yolks, vanilla, lemon zest (if using), 1/2 teaspoon cardamom and salt.
• Arrange challah slices in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour custard on top, and let sit at room temperature, uncovered, for 30 minutes, so the bread can absorb the custard, carefully flipping bread slices halfway through.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, cinnamon and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cardamom. Set aside.
• Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium, then add 2 tablespoons butter and let it melt. Place 2 to 3 pieces soaked challah in skillet, making sure to not crowd the pan. Cook until golden on bottom, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle a little of the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top of each slice, then flip and cook until bottom is glazed and browned, another 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to serving plates, glazed-side up. Repeat with remaining butter, challah and cinnamon sugar. Serve warm, with your choice of toppings.

CHALLAH FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• 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.

CHALLAH FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• In a large shallow bowl whisk together milk, eggs and sugar. Soak bread 1 minute per side, until nearly all egg mixture is absorbed. In a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet melt butter over medium-low heat. When butter bubbles, carefully transfer challah slices to pan and cook 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Sprinkle toasts with confectioners' sugar and serve with maple syrup.;

CHALLAH FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Whisk eggs in a bowl until fluffy, then add milk. Whisk in sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract and transfer mixture to a shallow bowl.
• Soak challah slices in the bowl in batches for 3 minutes on each side.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook challah slices in batches until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn and continue to brown on the other side, about 2 more minutes. Add more butter if necessary.

BRANDIED APPLE CHALLAH FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil; set aside. Slice the challah into eight 3/4- to 1-inch-thick pieces. Whisk the eggs and half-and-half in a large shallow dish, then whisk in the granulated sugar, salt and vanilla until the sugar is dissolved and the custard is smooth. Put the confectioners' sugar in a fine-mesh strainer.
• Add 4 slices of bread to the custard and let soak, turning once, until saturated but not falling apart, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the soaked bread, letting the excess custard drip off, then immediately dust with some of the confectioners' sugar. Cook until the bottom of the bread is golden, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and dust with more confectioners' sugar. Continue to cook, flipping twice more and dusting with more confectioners' sugar each time, until both sides are browned and caramelized, about 5 more minutes; add 1/2 tablespoon more butter when the skillet is dry. Transfer to the baking sheet. Add 1 more tablespoon butter to the skillet and repeat with the remaining bread, custard and confectioners' sugar; add 1/2 tablespoon more butter to the skillet when needed. Transfer the baking sheet with all the French toast to the oven and bake until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, wipe out the skillet and add 4 tablespoons butter; increase the heat to medium high. Add the apples and cardamom and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned in spots, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the honey, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water and continue to cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the brandy and carefully tilt the pan or use a long lighter to ignite. Cook until the apples are glazed and soft but not falling apart, 1 to 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and swirl to melt and slightly thicken the sauce.
• Divide the French toast among plates. Spoon the apples and sauce on top.

BAKED CHALLAH FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place challah in the dish.
• Mix 1/4 cup sugar with cinnamon; set aside.
• Mix milk, eggs, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla, and salt together in a bowl. Pour over bread and place butter pieces on top. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar over the top. Cover with foil and place in the refrigerator, 8 hours to overnight.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake French toast, uncovered, in the preheated oven until golden brown, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve warm.

CHALLAH FRENCH TOAST WITH BERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare French toast:
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, and salt until blended. Pour into a large baking pan and soak bread slices in 1 layer, turning once, 8 minutes.
• Prepare berry sauce while bread is soaking:
• Purée 1 1/2 cups berries with sugar and lemon juice in a blender. If you want to eliminate seeds, force purée through a very fine sieve into a bowl. Transfer to a serving bowl and fold in remaining berries.
• Cook French toast:
• Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet or griddle over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Transfer 4 soaked bread slices to skillet with a slotted spatula and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side. Cook remaining bread in 2 batches, adding more butter as needed. Transfer slices as cooked to a large shallow baking pan (using a clean spatula) and, when all are browned, bake in middle of oven until hot, about 5 minutes.
• Serve French toast with berry sauce.