Baked Orange Walnut French Toast

4 eggs
1 cup orange juice
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Grated orange peel

1 loaf Italian or Challah bread cut in 1" slices (8 -1" slices)
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cups chopped walnuts
More grated orange peel
Sliced bananas (optional)

The night before:

Whisk together eggs, orange juice, milk, sugar, nutmeg and vanilla and a few gratings of orange peel. Place bread in single layer in large, flat dish. Pour milk mixture over bread, turn once, cover and refrigerate overnight.

If you forgot to do this overnight, it works almost as well if you just dip the bread slices into the mixing bowl and arrange on pan the same morning.

In the morning.

Preheat oven to 400F. Spread parchment paper into jellyroll pan and spread melted butter over paper. Arrange soaked bread slices in a single layer in pan. Sprinkle with walnuts. Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle fresh orange zest on top and serve with real maple syrup and sliced bananas. Garnish with orange peel.

Serves 4

Roger Kershaw and Jim Lingerfelt
Toronto Downtown Bed and Breakfast