Eban's Gluten Free French Toast

 Éban's French Toast makes 2 portions

Ingredients

• 4 slices Éban's Flaxseed Oat Bread, allowed to dry out overnight or dried in a low oven (300 degree F) for about 20 minutes until dry but not toasted.
• 1/2 tsp Orange zest (1 small orange, zested is about 1/2 tsp)
• 1 oz Orange juice (1 small orange, juiced is about 1 oz)
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 2 Eggs, slightly beaten
• 3/4 Milk (or Half & Half for a richer custard, or dairy substitute like Almond milk)
• 3-4 Tbsp Butter (or nondairy spread) or more as desired
• Maple or Sorghum Syrup (or your favorite toppings)
• Fresh sliced Strawberries, Blueberries (0r your favorite fruit)

Procedure

1. In a small bowl, add orange zest and juice, cinnamon, vanilla and beaten eggs.
2. In a small casserole dish, pour in the milk, then add the egg mixture. Whisk briskly until very well combined.
3. Preheat your griddle pan over medium-high heat as you prepare the syrup and fruit to serve as soon as the toasts are cooked.
4. When the griddle is ready, dip a slice of dried bread, one at a time, into the custard allowing it to saturate the bread completely on both sides. Carefully lift the bread out of the custard and onto a plate before placing it on the griddle.
5. Add a tablespoon of butter to the griddle and immediately add a slice of custard-soaked bread to the sizzling butter.  Add another tablespoon of butter for each slice of bread as you cook all the slices of French Toast.
6. Allow the toasts to cook on the first side until golden brown and crispy (about 3-4 minutes), then flip and cook the other side until it reaches the same level of doneness (another 3-4 minutes).
7. Keep the French Toast hot and crispy by placing the cooked toasts on a cooling rack set on a baking sheet in a 325 degree oven until ready to serve with syrup and fresh berries.

Notes

• The orange zest and juice makes this recipe one of the best and most unique French Toast custards, so be sure to use fresh citrus for that amazing burst of flavor
• Use your intuition and personal taste to add more cinnamon or vanilla if that sounds good to you. 
• Also delicious with a chocolate-hazelnut spread, fruit conserve or jam, or even sweetened cream cheese, if syrup isn't your thing.