Pumpkin French Toast Recipe

Recipe courtesy: reader Donna Holderbaum (Tiki Island, TX), bonus winner of the 2009 Food Fiction Nine-Book Giveaway

This is a great recipe to make the night before.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf challah or brioche (approximately 1 lb)
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• pinch of coarse salt
• ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
• ½ cup half and half
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur or orange juice
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:

1. Trim ends of bread and cut crosswise into twelve 1” thick slices.
2. Combine sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in pumpkin puree, half and half, eggs, liqueur, ginger, vanilla and orange zest.
3. Dip bread slices into mixture, then place each coated slice onto a large pan. Pour any extra mixture over the bread slices. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 250º F. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to skillet. When butter is sizzling, add bread slices to skillet. Cook until bread is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
5. Add more butter to skillet as new bread slices are griddled. Transfer slices to a cookie sheet and keep warm in over. Serve with pure maple syrup.