cozy day

It's sunny, windy and a cold, cozy day here and the kids don't have school.  We're just playing around the house today so I decided to make french toast bread pudding for the first time.  

I think this may have to be breakfast on Christmas morning.

Thank you Ina Garten, my go-to. (Our go-to, right Jen?)
This recipe is in her Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That? cookbook.
Love.

The ingredients...

1 challah loaf, sliced 3/4" thick

8 extra-large eggs

5 cups half-and-half or milk (I used milk.)

3 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 kosher salt

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees

Arrange the bread in two layers in a 9x13x2 inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, honey, orange zest, vanilla and salt.

Pour the mixture over the bread and allow it to soak for 10 minutes.

Place the baking dish in a larger roasting pan and add enough hot water to the roasting pan so it comes an inch up the side of the baking dish.

Cover the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil, tenting it so the foil doesn't touch the pudding.

Make two slashes in the foil to allow steam to escape.

Bake for 45 minutes, remove the foil, and bake for another 40-45 minutes until the pudding puffs up and the custard is set.

The puffed pudding.  It's so fun.

Gorgeous.

where: all photos by Lindsay for from me to you xo

Dust the top of the bread pudding with confectioners sugar and a bit of maple syrup
and prepare to be loved.  Delicious.
xo