French Toast With Mixed Berries Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchens.
Recipe © 2001 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.
Fresh From the Orchard note: Substitute blackberries for raspberries in the marinated berries section.
French Toast
2 c. half-and-half or milk
three 3" cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
6 large eggs
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 tsp. sugar
1 baguette (French bread), about 2' long
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
confectioners' sugar
Marinated Berries, recipe follows
In a small saucepan, heat the half-and-half with the cinnamon, just until bubbles form around the side of the pan. Remove from the heat; set aside to steep for 30 minutes.
In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the nutmeg and sugar. Strain the half-and-half into the eggs and discard the cinnamon pieces. Whisk to make a smooth batter.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Slice the bread with a serrated knife on the diagonal, into 18 1"-thick pieces.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add half the butter. Dip 9 of the bread slices into the batter and add to the skillet. Cook the slices, turning once, until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the toasts to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining bread. Bake until the toasts are warmed through and slightly puffy, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Divide the toast on large plates and dust with confectioners' sugar. Top with the berries and serve immediately.
Marinated Berries
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, and seeds scraped out with a knife and reserved
grated zest of 1/2 lemon
grated zest of 1/2 orange
1 c. water
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 pint raspberries
1/2 pint blueberries, rinsed
1/2 pint strawberries, rinsed, tops trimmed, halved or quartered, if large
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, citrus zests, and water. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer very gently until syrupy, about 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the citrus juices. Combine the berries in a bowl. Strain the warm syrup over the berries and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Serve.
Yield: 6 servings.
