For a toasty morning

Special holiday breakfast with my family can mean only one thing - Haitian french toast. No one knows why it's called "Haitian," other than that orange juice is vaguely tropical...? This Christmas morning, it was the natural choice to bring the holly jolly feeling to our kitchen. The recipe is from a suspiciously small piece of magazine that my mom cut out more than 20 years ago, but it has served us well. Something about the combination of sweet sugar and tangy orange juice works perfectly - and if you use French bread for the toast, you get a nice crispy crust with an almost custardy center. Basically, it's great.




Haitian French Toast
From Sunset Magazine (circa 1989)

1 long loaf of French bread (about 1 lb)
1 C orange juice
1/2 C whipping cream
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 C granulated sugar
Dash of ground nutmeg
Butter/vegetable oil for cooking
Powdered sugar and maple syrup (optional)

Directions: Cut ends off of bread loaf and discard. Cut the rest into 1 1/2 inch thick slices, and let sit out for at least 4 hours or overnight. Combine all ingredients and pour into a baking pan deep enough to hold the liquid. Lay the bread slices in the mixture and flip occasionally until all the mixture is absorbed.

Heat skillet over medium-high heat, and prepare with butter or oil. Lay the toast slices on the hot griddle and cook until slices are richly browned on each side (about 5 minutes). Serve dusted with powdered sugar and maple syrup for maximum effect :)