Tomorrow we are going to London; husband has work to do and I have a lot of eating to accomplish too. In the meantime, here is a recipe for Marmalade French Toast. It is an ordinary dish, but hard to get right, I know because I've been making this for years and have been disappointed by my own results. The secret, according to me that is, is to use really good bread, white is nicer than the healthful cereal versions but that's just my preference. We also discovered that frying it first then finishing it in the oven makes a crispy crusted toast with soft, bready-eggy insides. The marmalade and orange liqueur adds a fresh yet sophisticated touch.
First, cut bread into 1-1.5 cm thick slices. Bread from a loaf bought at the bakers is best, pre-sliced bread just become mush.
Then in a shallow pan mix lightly large eggs (organic is better), vanilla seeds scraped from the pod, sugar, marmalade and a healthy glug of Cointreau or Grand Marnier. Quantity is not stated because I usually eyeball the mix and add until I think there is enough to soak the bread. I also like to taste the egg mix to make sure it has enough orange flavours and sweetness, yes I know the egg is raw but sometimes we have to live dangerously. If the mixture is a bit thick I'll add a drop or two of milk.
Add the bread to the egg, and allow about 30 minutes for the bread to absorb the mixture. Turn the slices from time to time. The idea is to get as much of the egg into the bread as possible.
To cook: pan fry in a mix of oil and butter until the exterior is brown. Then lay on a greased baking tray and finish in a 180 C oven for about 5 minutes.
Serve warm, dusting with icing sugar to make it pretty if desired. Good on its own or with sausages and bacon to make a hearty dish. We had ours with espresso, juice and fruits, simple but tasty foods for a weekend brunch.
