Orange Creamsicle French Toast

French Toast- I have a love/hate relationship with it.

Soggy. Not sweet enough. Cinnamon…where is it? Serving of french toast after the previous one, I’ve been disappointed. Until this bright and creamy version.

During this spring afternoon, I yearned for the chilled, creamy popsicle that is the Orange Creamsicle. I’ve said this once and I’ll say it again. There are TWO kinds of people on this planet: those that like orange creamsicle pops and those that despise sunshine.

Each thick slice of toast is coated with an orangey custard, ensuring each bite is like eating a summer day. The only way to eat a stack of these is to pour a heavy drizzle of Orange cream cheese glaze on top- taking the entire vibe from breakfast to dessert in a millisecond.

If you like sunshine, this creamy, sweet, and zesty version of (often times bland) french toast will have you shining your own ray of light the entire day.

Orange Creamsicle French Toast

Yield: 2-3 serving

Time:10-15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 3-4 slices of sourdough or white bread, stale are best and cut into 1” sliced

• 1/2 cup milk of choice

• 1/4 cup orange juice

• 2 eggs (I used an egg alternative, but 2 flax eggs would work in this case too)

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

• 3-4 tablespoons butter of choice, to cook

Orange Creamsicle Glaze

• 2 oz cream cheese, softened

• 1-2 tablespoon milk of choice

• 1 tablespoon orange juice

• 1 teaspoon orange zest

• 1-2 tablespoon maple syrup

• 1/2 teaspoon of almond or vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt

DIRECTIONS

1. In a bowl, whisk together the milk, orange juice, egg, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt.

2. Once combined, dip your thick slices of stale toast. I like to slice the stale bread the night before so that both sides can be dry, allowing for the bread to not get too soggy. Quickly dip each side for about 15-20 seconds and place it on a separate plate.

3. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat with butter. Once melted, add the slices of toast 1-2 at a time. Cook for about 2 minutes per side. I prefer my french toast to be a bit “charred/browned”.

4. Once both sides are cooked, set aside to make the Orange Creamsicle Glaze

   To Assemble:

5. In a bowl, soften the cream cheese (I microwaved mine for 10-second intervals until just soft to the touch).

6. Add the milk, orange juice, zest, maple syrup, almond extract, and salt. Whisk until creamy and taste for any adjustments in sweetness (if needed, add an additional tablespoon of maple syrup for sweetness).

7. Pour on top of the french toast, add freshly sliced oranges, and another drizzle of maple syrup (you can NEVER have enough).

8. Dive in!