Saturday, January 26, 2008

Challah at ya girl


Barring a loaf of day-old brioche (like I have those just laying around), challah really does make the best French toast ever. And it can be purchased every Friday, giving you the very best fodder for an epic Saturday French toast and mimosas brunch.

Challah French toast
Serves 2 or 3

3 eggs
2/3 c heavy cream
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (my special mix, of course)
1 tsp vanilla extract (I use my own homemade bourbon vanilla)
scant pinch kosher salt
6 1" thick slices of day-old challah (I used poppyseed)
butter for frying
real maple syrup and powdered sugar, or maybe some good fruit preserves or sommat

Beat together the eggs, cream, sugar, spice, vanilla and salt. Dip the sliced challah on both sides into the mixture and leave it there for a spell. Letting the challah soak in the custard for 10-15 minutes makes the end result taste just like freshly-fried donuts, and the interior will take on a rich creme brulee-like bread pudding consistency.

Heat a frying pan to medium heat. Melt in a pat of butter and let 'er rip (that means go ahead and start cooking the French toast). Flip when smelling gorgeous and fry on other side for maybe 30 seconds. Do the rest of them the same way. I fit two to a pan and have to do batches.

As always, this is lovely with strong coffee and sausages, but we didn't have any sausages this week and had to settle for just coffee. One day I'll be able to eat a food drizzled with maple syrup and not demand sausages, but today is not that day.

7 comments:

Emily said...

Mmm...challah. It makes me want to hollah.
I guess you can find it, where you live. We don't have any here, so I have to make it.
But yeah, it looks good.

Peter M said...

I have a buddy who works in food and he swears that challah (ha-la) is best for french toast.

I think I'm going to go make some for breakfast today.

Anonymous said...

I made my own Challah bread over the holidays and after two days, the bread was perfect for french toast. Thick and buttery, it soaked up every ounce of the egg and milk mixture making it soft and tender. I think its time to make it again.

ExpatCentral said...

This is so unbelievably true that I had to comment. The first time I used challah for french toast I knew I would never use anything else. So delicious.

Heather said...

Emiline - Are you a holla back girl? Sorry, couldn't help it. There have to be some Jews where you live - find out where their bakeries are. :)

Peter - Enjoy your breakfast! I highly recommend sausages.

Slowlikehoney - I am dying to learn how to bake bread properly - one day maybe I can bake my own challah too!

Dani - Great minds think alike! :)

Thistlemoon said...

A nice big breakfast without sausages are like a day without sunshine!

Heather said...

Haha, well put, Jenn!