Sugar-Crusted French Toast with Honeyed Apples

• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 3x1/2-inch strips orange peel
• 4 3x1/2-inch strips lemon peel
• 2 whole star anise*
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 3 medium apples (such as Braeburn or Golden Delicious), peeled, halved, cored
• 6 large eggs
• 3 large egg yolks
• 31/2 cups whole milk
• 2/3 cup plus 8 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 4x4x1-inch slices egg bread
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in heavy large saucepan.
2. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean.
3. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 minutes.
5. Add apples; cover and simmer until tender, about 12 minutes.
6. Using slotted spoon, transfer apples to bowl.
7. Boil syrup in saucepan until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 10 minutes.
8. Add syrup to bowl with apples.
9. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.
10. Cover and chill.
11. Bring to room temperature before using.)
12. Whisk eggs, yolks, milk, 2/3 cup sugar, vanilla, and salt in 15x10x2-inch baking dish.
13. Place bread in single layer in egg mixture; spoon egg mixture over bread and let stand until soaked through, about 3 minutes.
14. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in each of 2 large nonstick skillets over medium heat.
15. Sprinkle each skillet with 2 tablespoons sugar.
16. Add 3 bread slices to each skillet; cook until deep golden on bottom, about 3 minutes.
17. Sprinkle top of bread slices with sugar, using 2 tablespoons for each skillet; turn slices over and cook until deep golden on bottom, about 3 minutes.
18. Transfer French toast to plates.
19. Place 1 apple half alongside each serving.
20. Drizzle French toast with some of syrup from apples and serve.
21. *Brown star-shaped seedpods sold at Asian markets and specialty foods stores and in the spice section of some supermarkets.

water, honey, sugar, star anise, cinnamon, vanilla bean, apples, eggs, egg yolks, milk, sugar, vanilla, salt, egg bread, butter

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/sugar-crusted-french-toast-with-honeyed-apples-109158 (may not work)