Challah Baked French Toast

[Clove]

Description: Not exactly Desert, maybe more like a Breakfast or Brunch,
Very Rich and Very Good

Serving Size: 6 to 10

Time: 20 min prep - 24 hours waiting - 35 min cooking

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

1. 1 loaf Challah
   
2. 2 cups half-and-half
   
3. 2 cups heavy cream
   
4. Pinch salt
   
5. 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
   
6. 6 eggs
   
7. 1 cup granulated sugar
   
8. Confectioners' sugar

Preparation:

1. Slice into 1/2-inch thick slices
   
2. In a saucepan, heat the half-and-half, cream, salt, and vanilla bean over medium heat, stirring occasionally to make sure the mixture doesn't burn or stick to the bottom of the pan.
   
3. When the cream mixture reaches a fast simmer (do not let it boil), turn off the heat.
   
4. Set aside to infuse for 10 minutes.
   
5. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together.
   
6. Whisking constantly, gradually add the hot cream mixture.
   
7. Strain into a large bowl to smooth the mixture and remove the vanilla bean.
   
8. When the cream mixture reaches a fast simmer (do not let it boil), turn off the heat.
   
9. Set aside to infuse for 10 minutes.
   
10. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together.

Instructions:

1. Using a 9X13 baking dish, shingle the Challah slices across the bottom
   
2. Pour the custard mixture over the bread
   
3. Cover and put in the refrigerator, overnight (at least 4 hours)
   
4. Pre-heat the oven to 350F
   
5. Uncover the baking dish and place on the middle rank in the oven
   
6. Bake for 35 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and any custard is set
   
7. Dust with confectioners' (powered) sugar
   
8. Serve warm or at room temperature.
   
9. 
   
10. Notes:
    
11. You can add raisins, nuts and / or preserves before baking
    
12. You can cube the bread, bake in a soufflé dish (and call it Challah Bread Pudding)

[Chefnot]

Hmm...I'm passing that one on.

[bluejeanz]

This sounds similiar to an apple french toast casserole that I make. Yours is much richer though. Almost like a heart attack on a plate, LOL. I think I'll give this one a try.

[Clove]

This sounds similiar to an apple french toast casserole that I make. Yours is much richer though. Almost like a heart attack on a plate, LOL. I think I'll give this one a try.

BJ,

You can sub a skim milk for the 1/2 and 1/2 and sub 2% for the heavy cream, sub Equal for the sugar.
That will make it more healthful... but you might loose something....like taste.

[Food Network Fan]

Eeeeuuuk Life is too short to use skim milk for ANYTHING.

[BerryBaby]

Skim milk is just light colored water with a hint of a strange taste. Give me whole milk or give me nothing.

[Clove]

Skim milk is just light colored water with a hint of a strange taste. Give me whole milk or give me nothing.

I hereby bequeath you whole milk, half and half and heavy cream!
Let's hear it for butter fat!