French toast with vanilla and orange

This French toast recipe is now our family’s favorite. With the orange aroma that we love in French toast with orange syrup but so much easier to make and the soaking method gives it a deep and mouth-filling taste. You can serve it for breakfast, brunch, or easy and quick dessert for the family. I got the inspiration from Martha Stewart but with some modifications.

Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 slices of bread
• 6 eggs
• 1 and ½ cup heavy cream or milk
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• zest of one orange or ½ teaspoon orange extract
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

How to make: In a bowl, whisk the eggs and combine them with the heavy cream or milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, vanilla, and orange. Arrange the bread slices in a shallow pan. Pour the egg mixture on top and let the bread soak for 5-10 minutes, depending on thickness. Turn sides halfway through.  Heat the oil and butter and cook both sides of the bread until golden brown. Add butter and oil if needed.

Notes and tips: Thick slices of rather stale bread are ideal for French roast. I rarely have those since we, normally, just have thinly sliced whole grain bread. These thin slices need shorter soaking and I cut them in half for easier handling but they work just fine.

We don’t always have oranges at home, either. For that reason, I always have extracts in my cabinets (vanilla, orange, mint) and they always come handy. The orange extract is very aromatic and I use it not only in this recipe but, also, in chocolate recipes, Pavlova, and some cakes.