French Toast Bread Pudding

8 people

BREAKFAST

Ina Garten How Easy Is That? (p. 18)

Ingredients

Challah loaf - 1 loaf

Eggs - 8

Half-and-half (or milk) - 5 cups

Orange - 1 (1 tbl zest)

Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

Kosher salt - 14 tsp

Syrup - To taste

Prep

Challah loaf: slice 3/4 inch thick

Orange: zest

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange the bread in two layers in a 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking dish, cutting the bread to fit the dish. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, honey, organe zest, vanilla, and salt. Pour the mixture over the bread and press the bread down. Allow to soak for 10 minutes.

Place the baking dish in a larger roasting pan and add enough very hot tap water to the roasting pan to come an inch up the side of the baking dish. Cover the roasting pan tightly with alumnimum foil, tenting it so the foil doesn't touch the pudding. Make two slashes in the foild to allow steam to escape. Bake for 45 minutes, remove the aluminum foil and bake for another 40-45 minutes until the pudding puffs-up and the custard is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

With a small sieve, dust with confestioners sugar and serve in squares with syrup.