French Toast Suzette

Name: French Toast Suzette with Grand Marnier
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 loaf challah bread, cut into ½ slices; 4 large eggs; ¾ cup heavy cream; ¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice; 1 tbsp orange zest; 2 tbsp brown sugar; 1 tsp cinnamon; 2 tbsp Grand Marnier; ½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice; ¼ cup brown sugar; 6 tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces; 1 tbsp orange zest

French Toast Suzette is an elegant brunch upgrade featuring challah bread soaked in an orange juice and Grand Marnier custard, with a caramelized citrus-brown sugar topping. It delivers sophisticated flavor without requiring special equipment beyond a skillet.

🌍French 🥗Vegetarian 🏷️Breakfast 🏷️Dessert 🏷️Orange 🏷️Grand marnier

Total

1h 10m

Servings

6

Difficulty

Medium

Est. Cost

$23–$38

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Recette Magazine

Ingredients

1 loaf challah bread, cut into ½ slices
4 large eggs
¾ cup heavy cream
¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp orange zest
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp Grand Marnier
½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
¼ cup brown sugar
6 tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 tbsp orange zest

12 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Grease a Suvie pan with butter and add the sliced challah loaf to the pan.
2
In a medium bowl, whisk together 4 eggs, ½ cup heavy cream, ¼ cup orange juice, 1 tbsp orange zest, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and ⅛ tsp kosher salt. Pour custard over challah slices. Cover with foil and load into the bottom of your Suvie.
3
Add 2 tbsp Grand Marnier, ½ cup orange juice, ¼ cup brown sugar and ⅛ tsp kosher salt to a second Suvie pan and stir. Load the pan into the top of your Suvie, input settings, and cook now or schedule.
4
Halfway through cooking, whisk the butter into the sauce. Return the pan to the top zone of Suvie and continue to cook.
5
After the cook, remove pans from your Suvie and stir the remaining orange zest into the sauce. Remove foil from french toast and return pan to the bottom zone. Broil 2-5 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crisp, watching closely.
6
To serve, divide french toast between plates and top with suzette sauce.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Use freshly zested orange peel (not pre-packaged) to avoid bitterness and ensure oils release into the custard.
Soak bread only 10–15 seconds per side—challah absorbs liquid quickly and oversaturation causes sogginess, not custardy centers.
Toast the brown sugar topping in the pan with medium-high heat before plating so it caramelizes into a crisp glaze rather than staying grainy.
Crack eggs into the custard mixture one at a time and whisk aggressively to ensure full emulsification, preventing streaky or curdled coating.

Substitutions

Grand Marnier → Cointreau or triple sec (lighter citrus flavor, slightly drier finish)
Heavy cream → whole milk (sauce will be thinner; reduces richness slightly)
Orange juice → fresh lemon juice (bright acidity replaces citrus sweetness; use 3 tbsp)
Challah → brioche or thick-cut white bread (slightly less rich, but similar custard absorption)

Storage & make-ahead

Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days; reheat gently in a 325°F oven for 5–8 minutes. Do not microwave—texture degrades. Freeze uncooked soaked slices up to 1 week and cook directly from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes per side.

Common Questions

Can I make French Toast Suzette without alcohol?

Yes. Replace the 2 tbsp Grand Marnier with an additional 2 tbsp of fresh squeezed orange juice for the same citrus depth without the booze.

What bread works best for this recipe?

Challah is ideal because its rich, slightly sweet crumb absorbs the custard evenly while staying tender. Brioche or thick-cut white bread work as alternatives.

How do I know when French Toast Suzette is done cooking?

Cook until the exterior is golden-brown and crispy (2–3 minutes per side), and the egg custard has set but the center remains custardy, not rubbery.

Should I use fresh squeezed orange juice or bottled?

Fresh squeezed delivers brighter, more complex citrus flavor and better zest integration. Bottled works but the dish loses some vibrancy.

Can I prep this ahead?

Assemble the custard mixture and soak bread slices up to 2 hours ahead, refrigerated. Cook to order for best texture. Finished toast is best eaten immediately but keeps warm for 10–15 minutes loosely covered.