Challah French Toast

I just keep making these since I received the Williams & Sonoma Breakfast and Brunch cookbook (which is amazing, I've drooled over it for hours-- thanks Katherine!). It's the touch of maple syrup that really gets me, though I've never made them with the real stuff so I'm sure they can still be even more fantastic some day when I have all the ingredients. I've also never made them with challah bread, just regular wheat bread, so you really can't go wrong skimping on the ingredients, it's still delicious.

Ingredients

3 large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk (I'm sure a lower fat variety is fine as well)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter for pan
8 slices day-old challah, each 3/4 in thick with crusts


In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Pour batter into a baking dish (this is to give yourself a shallow vessel for dipping the bread).

Heat a large frying pan to medium heat, melt half the butter and continue to heat until it foams but does not brown.

Place the bread slices in the egg mixture and let stand for 5 seconds before flipping and let stand for 5 seconds longer. Using tongs, lift the slices from the batter, letting any excess drip back into the baking dish, and transfer to the hot pan. Cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook until browned on the second side, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining butter, batter, and bread slices.

Enjoy!