Orange Spiced French Toast

As my own family grows, we are making a tradition of  holiday breakfasts.  No one wants to cook on Christmas morning so I have found organizing a delicious meal and just throwing it in the oven works for us (much better than eating leftover cookies).

I loved the recipe found in Gooseberry Patch's The Christmas Table for Orange Spiced French Toast.  At first glance, I was a bit disappointed with having to transfer the bread after soaking onto a jelly roll pan.  My disappointment disappeared with the first bite!  Baking the French toast on the pan really gives it a great crisp finish, nothing soggy about this French toast.  My family loved it!  The accompanying syrup was great too!

INGREDIENTS:

French Toast

• 1 loaf French bread, sliced
• 4 eggs
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1/4 t ground cinnamon
• 1/8 t nutmeg
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Orange Syrup

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:

Orange Spiced French Toast

1. Arrange bread in a single layer in an ungreased 13 x 9 baking pan.  
2. In a bowl with an electric mixer on low speed, beat remaining ingredients except butter.
3. Pour egg mixture over bread, turning slices to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.
4. Spread melted butter in a 15 x 10 jelly roll pan (I used a large lipped cookie tray). Arrange bread slices in a single layer on top of butter.  Bake uncovered at 400 degrees Farenheit for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly golden, turning slices once halfway.  

Orange Syrup

1. In a saucepan over low heat, combine butter, sugar, and orange juice concentrate.
2. Stir until butter is melted; do not boil.
3. Cool for 10 minutes; beat with an electric mixer on low speed until thickened.  Stir in pecans.

Difficulty: Medium

Time: Prep time is 20 minutes, plus overnight; baking time is 25 minutes

Source: Gooseberry Patch's The Christmas Table, Copyright 2012

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