French Toast with Mixed Berries

• 2 cups half-and-half or milk
• Three 3-inch cinnamon sticks, broken up into pieces
• 6 large eggs
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 baguette (French bread), about 2 feet long
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Confectioners' sugar
• Marinated Berries, recipe follows
• Marinated Berries
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, and seeds scraped out with a knife and reserved
• Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
• Grated zest of 1/2 orange
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 pint raspberries
• 1/2 pint blueberries, rinsed
• 1/2 pint strawberries, rinsed, tops trimmed, halved or quartered, if large

1. In a small saucepan, heat the half-and-half with the cinnamon, just until bubbles form around the side of the pan.
2. Remove from the heat; set aside to steep for 30 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the nutmeg and sugar.
4. Strain the half-and-half into the eggs and discard the cinnamon pieces.
5. Whisk to make a smooth batter.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
7. Slice the bread with a serrated knife on the diagonal, into 18 1-inch-thick pieces.
8. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add half the butter.
9. Dip 9 of the bread slices into the batter and add to the skillet.
10. Cook the slices, turning once, until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
11. Transfer the toasts to a baking sheet.
12. Repeat with the remaining bread.
13. Bake until the toasts are warmed through and slightly puffy, about 8 to 10 minutes.
14. Divide the toast on large plates and dust with confectioners' sugar.
15. Top with the berries and serve immediately.
16. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, citrus zests, and water.
17. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low.
18. Simmer very gently until syrupy, about 25 minutes.
19. Remove from the heat and add the citrus juices.
20. Combine the berries in a bowl.
21. Strain the warm syrup over the berries and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
22. Serve.
23. Yield: 6 servings

milk, three, eggs, freshly grated nutmeg, sugar, baguette, unsalted butter, confectioners, berries, sugar, vanilla bean, lemon, orange, water, freshly squeezed orange juice, freshly squeezed lemon juice, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries

Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/french-toast-with-mixed-berries-recipe.html (may not work)