This recipe for Outrageous Orange French Toast is one of our guest favorites. Ellen Gutman Chenaux of the Birchwood Inn graciously shared the recipe. She is one of the 8 Broads in the Kitchen. You should definitely visit the website and blog for amazing recipes and cooking tips. We are pleased to be friends with all of the 8 Broads and are delighted that they share so many recipes and information. Everyone should eat great food, and they certainly do their best to help us all with that.
Using liqueur in Outrageous Orange French Toast adds depth
We find that adding various flavored liqueurs adds depth to the flavor of the dish. Certainly there are folks who can’t or don’t want to use alcohol in their cooking. However, I will always experiment with a recipe where it seems appropriate to boost the flavor profile. I add a tablespoon of Fidelitas Obstler when making pear sorbet. It’s 80% apple brandy and 20% pear brandy, and it really brings out the pear flavor in the sorbet.
Use a fine hand grater for the orange zest
When zesting oranges, first wash the orange well. I use a fine hand zester to grate the orange rind. Zest the orange, set it aside, then use a juicer or reamer to extract the juice. If you have “too much” orange zest, store it in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the freezer. You’ll find yourself adding it to dishes and boosting the orange flavor. I keep containers of orange, lemon and lime zest in the freezer. They are great for pancakes, cookies and even mashed sweet potatoes.
Real maple syrup
Use real maple syrup when possible. Yes, it’s expensive, so use it in moderation. Real maple syrup is so much better than “pancake syrup” which mostly has corn syrup and maple flavoring.
Outrageous Orange French Toast
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 2/3 cup orange juice
- 1/3 cup Grand Marnier orange liqueur (or use orange juice for non-alcoholic option)
- 1/3 cup cream
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- rind of one orange, zested
- 9 slices challah 1-inch thick; cut each slice diagonally into two triangles
- butter
- powdered sugar
- orange sliced for garnish
- maple syrup serve on the side
Instructions
- Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the juice and Grand Marnier, cream, sugar, vanilla, salt, and orange rind. Mix well.
- Dip the bread in the egg mixture, turning to coat both sides.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet or on a griddle on medium heat. Use a folded paper towel to wipe off excess butter.
- Cook through, lightly browning both sides.
- Place three triangles per person on a plate, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and garnish with orange slices. Serve with maple syrup (the real stuff!)
