Citrus French Toast with Marmalade Drizzle

 Printable Version

Lately, I’ve been eating challah on Fridays around sundown. My Jewish readers might think, “Such a good girl, going to Shabbat.” Catholic-raised me must tell the truth: I volunteer at the UCLA Ronald Reagan Hospital until 5 PM on Fridays. We have a meditation room (not to be confused with a medication room) and Shabbat services, followed by Rabbi Pearl often visiting me with any unused challah. If co-volunteer Marty is working, he gets the bread – he runs marathons and my fat ass does not. But Marty has been vacationing for over a month. So, I snack. Time to figure out something to do with this bread besides wreck dinner.

Larry recently came up with a household Top Chef challenge. Each of us over the next few weeks would prepare a fresh idea for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Challah on my mind, here was my breakfast performance, Citrus French Toast with Marmalade Drizzle, which received a thumbs-up from Judge Larry. I served it with a parfait of farmers market strawberries, Greek yogurt sweetened with a little OJ, granola.

Citrus French Toast with Marmalade Drizzle

• Juice of one fresh-squeezed orange, divided
• 1/2 cup orange marmalade
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 3 thick slices challah, or other egg bread (if bread is super fresh, let slices set out overnight to stale slightly)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

In small saucepan, heat half the orange juice with the marmalade until simmering, turn off heat and set aside.

Slice bread into 1-inch “logs,” four per slice.  In a medium bowl, beat eggs slightly with remaining orange juice. 

Melt half the butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, or electric skillet set at 300 degrees F.  Dip bread into egg mixture, coating evenly. 

Place half the bread slices in pan, cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.  Remove from pan, repeat with remaining butter and slices. Stack French toast and drizzle with warm marmalade. Serves 2 with six “logs” each.