Many centuries later, French toast is a customer favorite on brunch menus across America, and it’s incredibly easy to make at home with ingredients that you’ve probably got on hand. Pillowy challah bread is one of the best breads (I imagine brioche is great as well!) for French toast because it sops up more of the milk/egg/spice mixture than, say, a slice of Pepperidge Farm allows. Styling sidebar: For this photoshoot, I swapped out my dark wood surfaces for white and concrete. I did this for a couple of reasons. First, I wanted the apothecary jars to pop, as they would’ve been lost against a walnut surface. The second reason was that I wanted to convey a frosty, wintery aesthetic. This winter, I will definitely stick with my standard moody photos, but I like the idea of throwing in some soft white surfaces as well. It’s different. What do you guys think? Would you like to see more of this monochromatic grey/white look? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section!recipe 6 large brown eggs1 1/2 cups whole milk1 tsp grated lemon zest1/2 tsp cinnamon1 tsp brown sugar1/2 tsp kosher salt2 dashes nutmeg2 dashes ground ginger1/4 tsp vanilla extract1 tsp maple syrup1 loaf challah breadUnsalted butterVegetable oilPreheat the oven to 250°F.Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add the milk, lemon zest, cinnamon, brown sugar, salt, nutmeg, ground ginger, vanilla extract and maple syrup. Whisk together until homogenized.Slice the bread into one-inch thick slices. Soak each slice in the mixture for two minutes on each side. Try to fit in as many slices as you can without overcrowding the bowl.Put one tablespoon each of butter and vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high. Stir quickly with a spatula to combine. Once the butter has melted, add the soaked bread. Cook each slice for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to a cookie sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat the frying process with the remaining slices, adding more butter and oil to the pan as needed.Serve warm and top with butter, powdered sugar, berries and maple syrup. Eat and repeat. Enjoy!If you make this recipe, hashtag a pic to #spiceandhutch and post to Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. I’d love to see your culinary creations!Adapted from Ina Garten
challah french toast — Spice & Hutch
