Chocolate Chip Challah French Toast

Back in April I made a Challah Bread for Easter weekend, a chocolate chip Challah bread.  It was so good and so simple to make.

I used a recipe from the Cuisinart website, I was looking for an easy Challah Bread recipe, if there was such a thing and I lucked out because this one really is as easy as it claims and it's delicious too.

I had leftover Challah and made French Toast the next day.  It was AMAZING!!!

I'm giving you the recipe for the Bread and you can just use your favorite French Toast version to complete it.

Easy Ten-Minute Challah Bread

one package of active dry yeast
3 cups unbleached, all-purpose bread flour
2 eggs
4 heaping tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup warm (105-110°F) water
1 egg mixed with water for egg wash
handful of sesame or poppy seeds
cooking spray

Instructions

Sprinkle yeast over water in a small bowl or cup, add sugar and watch it bubble, about five minutes.
Pour the above mixture into a food processor; add flour and then the rest of the ingredients. Mix and let it rise (It's okay to cover and leave it in the food processor or remove it to a greased bowl and cover) for about an hour.
Punch down the dough (press pulse a few times) and let it rise again (about an hour).
THEN:
Separate the dough into four pieces. Use three to make the main bread, and use the fourth piece to make a smaller braid that you’ll pinch into place on top of the main braid. Place the braided dough into a greased bread pan and cover with greased plastic wrap (PAM is easy to use.). Let it rise another hour.
Paint with egg wash (egg and water whisked together). Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.
Bake for 45 minutes in a 350° oven.

Variations:
For savory: Saute' finely chopped onion in olive oil. Roll onion in dough (No braiding with this version). Sprinkle some onion on top of egg wash (in place of sesame seeds) for an Onion Challah.
For sweet:
Before separating into four pieces, knead about 1/2 cup raisins OR 1/2 cup chocolate chips into dough.

Crispy Baked French Toast

This one comes from Kikkoman and boy is it good, the panko breadcrumbs give it such an amazing crunch...delicious.



Crispy Baked French Toast

3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Kikkoman Panko Bread Crumbs
8 slices dry white bread
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Butter
Maple syrup

1. Beat eggs together with milk, sugar and Vanilla extract in shallow bowl until well blended. Place panko in pie pan or shallow dish. Dip each bread slice into egg mixture, thoroughly coating both sides; then coat both sides of bread slices with bread crumbs. Place on large wire rack.



2. Add butter and oil into 17-1/4 x 11-1/2-inch jellyroll pan. Place pan in 400 degrees F. oven 1 to 2 minutes, or until butter melts. Remove pan from oven.

3. Place bread slices into pan, in single layer, turning over once to coat both sides of bread slices with butter mixture.



4. Return to oven and bake 15 minutes. Turn bread slices over and bake 10 minutes longer, or until golden brown.

5. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Quick and Easy French Toast

Weekday breakfasts usually consists of Muffins or cereal, toast etc.  But Friday's usually mean a special breakfast, something to kick off the weekend for us.

Today it was a simple French Toast, a recipe that I've been using for years now and it comes from the McCormick website.

Quick and Easy French Toast

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Cinnamon, Ground
4 slices bread
1 egg

1. Beat egg, vanilla and cinnamon in shallow dish. Stir in milk.

2. Dip bread in egg mixture, turning to coat both sides evenly.

3. Cook bread slices on lightly greased nonstick griddle or skillet on medium heat until browned on both sides.

Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast

Yeah it's sinful and it melts in your mouth and you can't have just one, so if you're on a diet you may just want to skip this recipe. But I doubt you'll want to once you see how good it looks.


1 carton (8 ounces) ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 slices French bread (1/2 inch thick)
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups sliced fresh or frozen strawberries
Maple syrup and additional confectioner's sugar

In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, sugar and vanilla. Spread 2 tablespoons on each of eight slices of bread; top with remaining bread. In a bowl, beat eggs and milk; soak sandwiches for 1-2 minutes per side.

Cook on a greased hot griddle for 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and heated through. Serve French Toast with strawberries. Top with syrup and additional confectioner's sugar.

Yield: 4-6 servings



Mix the ricotta cheese, sugar and vanilla

Slice the french bread into 1/2 inch thick slices

Add 2 tablespoons of the cheese filling to 8 slices


Spread the filling......catch the little bit that fell onto the counter and eat it. (I know it's not part of the recipe but just go with it lol)

Top with the remaining slices..........you should have 8 french toast sandwiches


In a bowl combine the milk and eggs and soak the french toast for 1-2 minutes on each side

Cook on a hot griddle for 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown......


Oh Lordy now I'm craving them again.....tsk tsk tsk

Favorite Ingredients Friday - Breakfast Edition

Well ladies, it's friday and that means another great Favorite Ingredients Friday hosted by the wonderful "Overwhelmed with Joy", today it's breakfast edition, so here we go:

STRAWBERRY STUFFED FRENCH TOAST

Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup strawberry jam
1/4 cup chopped pecans
French or Italian bread

Batter:
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp vanilla
(beat together)

Directions:
Mix cream cheese, jam and nuts. Cut Italian or French bread into diagonal pieces about 1 inch thick. Cut pocket in each slice. Stuff with mixture. Dip into batter, coating both sides. With skillet on medium heat, brown both sides in margarine.