Buttermilk French Toast

One morning I woke up with French toast on the brain. This is what I threw together given the ingredients available in my fridge.

Heat oven to 250 degrees F.
In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, combine the buttermilk, eggs, butter, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and orange zest. Dip the bread into the mixture two at a time as you work through the stack. I like to let the bread rest in the batter for a minute or two, then flip it and remove it from the batter just before it becomes completely soggy.
Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat. Melt another pat of butter on the skillet and tilt the pan to distribute the butter. Cook the french toast in the hot skillet, turning once. It should take about 3 minutes per side to turn golden brown. Remove the french toast from the skillet and place on a baking sheet. Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.
Serve the french toast with warm grade B maple syrup and a thin slice of orange.
Quick Tips
1. The best bread to use for this is probably challah – with or without raisins. I used a whole wheat sandwich bread in an effort to increase the fiber content. It was still tasty, but I know it would have been over the top with a challah or brioche!
2. Why do I recommend Grade B maple syrup? I just think it tastes better. It’s a little smoother and ultimately, more enjoyable. Of course, if you’ve got some Grade A laying around don’t rush out to replace it. On the other hand, if you use “breakfast syrup,” I highly recommend you convert to pure maple syrup. Breakfast syrup is just corn syrup with some brown food color. Gross.

Preparation time: 20 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4