Cinnamon-Almond French Toast

• 8 large slices challah or good-quality sandwich bread, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 11/2 cups whole milk, warmed
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted + 2 tablespoons for cooking
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon Triple Sec (optional, can substitute orange juice)
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds
• For the Topping:
• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. 1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place the bread on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking dish. Bake bread until almost dry throughout (center should remain slightly moist), about 16 minutes, flipping slices halfway through cooking. Remove bread from rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Return baking sheet with wire rack to oven and reduce temperature to 200 degrees.
2. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, egg yolks, brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoons melted butter, salt, vanilla extract, Triple Sec, and orange zest until well blended. Stir in the sliced almonds. Transfer the mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish. In a small bowl, stir together the 4 tablespoons granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; set aside.
3. 3. Soak the bread in the milk mixture until saturated but not falling apart, about 20 seconds per side, ensuring that some almonds adhere to the bread. Using a slotted spatula, pick up a bread slice and allow excess milk mixture to drip off; repeat with remaining slices. Place soaked bread on another baking sheet or platter. Sprinkle 1 to 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon-sugar topping over one side of each slice of soaked bread.
4. 4. Heat 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. When the foaming subsides, use the slotted spatula to transfer 2 slices of the soaked bread to the skillet, cinnamon-sugar side down first, and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. While they cook, sprinkle the top of the bread with 1 to 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Flip and continue to cook until the second side is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes longer. (If the toast is cooking too quickly, reduce the temperature slightly.) Transfer to the baking sheet in the oven. Repeat cooking with remaining bread, 2 pieces at a time, adding 1/2 tablespoon butter for each batch. Serve warm, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and/or drizzled with maple syrup

sandwich bread, milk, egg yolks, light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, unsalted butter, ubc, vanilla, triple sec, orange zest, almonds, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/cinnamon-almond-french-toast-50186302 (may not work)