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Deliciously delicate, buttery croissants are infused with multiple sources of orange flavor and prepared French toast style. The results will make any orange and French toast fan swoon!

I love Washington State. After living 21 years in Western Europe we huddled together as a family to decide where we wanted to move to in the U.S. I hadn’t lived in the U.S. since I was 2 years old and had only been back to visit once. So most things were a culture shock for me when we moved to the U.S. 10 years ago. Fortunately there was one thing that made me feel at home: Western Washington’s beautiful landscape. It was largely for that reason, and the climate, that we chose WA as our home. The climate is what we were used to from our years in England and Germany, and the landscape is reminiscent to southern Germany where my mom is from and where I grew up.

But Washington has much more to offer than a tolerable climate and beautiful landscape. It enjoys a rich history and is home to some incredible theaters, museums, concert halls, hotels and bed & breakfasts, outdoor adventures, parks, one of the most famous scuba diving areas in the world (right here in my home area of the South Puget Sound), and, of course, some phenomenal food! Washington has become renowned nation-wide for its culinary innovations and is a gastronomic gem.

I received a copy of Michele Morris’ Taste of Washington: Favorite Recipes From The Evergreen State and have really enjoyed reading through it and trying some of the recipes. Her second book (the first, Taste of Colorado), Taste of Washington proudly features 120 thoughtfully selected recipes, from simple to gourmet, from breakfast to dessert. It showcases Washington’s remarkably diverse cuisine and the book is filled with everything from classic Pacific Northwest fare to exciting global infusions. This book features recipes from 68 of the finest chefs and restaurants, cafes and bistros, inns and bed & breakfasts across the State. You’ll enjoy some fabulous selections such as the Northwest Fish Tacos, Cherry Chipotle Short Ribs, Theo Chocolate Ganache Cake, Baked Halibut with Morels, Ramps, and Smoked Bacon Butter Sauce, and Marionberry Pancakes. You’ll also find some unique and adventurous recipes like the Geoduck Saute, Octopus Bolognese and Christmas Tree Sherbet (can’t wait to try it!). Each recipe is accompanied by a beautiful photograph.

Michele Morris is a chef and sommelier and the blogger at Cooking With Michele. If you’re a blogger and will be attending the International Food Blogger’s Conference (IFBC) in Seattle in a couple of weeks (I am!), you’ll be able to meet Michele at the Book Launch Party. There will be a book signing and wine conference where you can purchase a signed copy of this beautiful book.

The photography in Taste of Washington is drop-dead gorgeous and definitely coffee table-worthy. I really enjoyed perusing its pages and have multiple bookmarks sticking out of my copy marking the many recipes I still want to try. So far I’ve made the Orange Butter Croissant French Toast and the Apple Quinoa Oatmeal Muffins, both of which were excellent. I received permission to take a few photos of the inside of the book just to give you an idea of how beautiful it is.

For anyone interested, you can purchase a copy of Taste of Washington HERE.

Today I’m sharing the Orange Butter Croissant French Toast with you. It is super simple and quick to prepare but the results are phenomenally delicious and upscale.

Let’s get started!

Slice the croissants in half horizontally.

Combine the eggs, orange zest, orange oil (I didn’t have any and substituted orange extract), vanilla extract, and honey into a bowl and whisk thoroughly until the honey is dissolved. Add the heavy cream and orange juice and whisk until combined.

Preheat a griddle or skillet over medium heat and melt the butter on the surface. Dip each croissant half into the egg mixture.

Place the croissants on the griddle. (Note: The recipe instructions say cut side up, I tried it both ways with equally good results.) Be careful when transferring them to the griddle, the delicate dredged croissants break easily.

Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes until a rich golden brown, being careful when you turn them over.

Serve immediately with maple syrup, dusted with powdered sugar, and garnished with a twisted orange slice.

Enjoy!

Orange Butter Croissant French Toast (Taste of Washington Cookbook Review) Print Prep time 5 mins Cook time 10 mins Total time 15 mins : Kimberly Killebrew, www.daringgourmet.com Serves: 6 Ingredients 6 large eggs

Zest of one large naval orange

4 teaspoons orange oil (see Note)

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

⅓ cup honey

¾ cup heavy cream

¾ cup orange juice

6 large croissants, cut in half horizontally

2 tablespoons butter for the griddle

Maple syrup for serving

Powdered sugar for dusting

6 orange slices, slit halfways to the center and twisted, for garnish Instructions Place the croissants on the griddle. (Note: The recipe instructions say cut side up, I tried it both ways with equally good results.) Be careful when transferring them to the griddle, the delicate dredged croissants break easily. Place the croissants on the griddle. Be careful when transferring them to the griddle, the delicate, dredged croissants break easily. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes until a rich golden brown, being careful when you turn them over. Serve immediately with maple syrup, dusted with powdered sugar, and garnished with a twisted orange slice. Notes If you don't have orange oil use 2 teaspoons orange extract. 3.2.2807

Slightly adapted from Taste of Washington by Michele Morris

Disclosure: I received a copy of Michele Morris’ book for review, but received no other compensation for this post. As always, all opinions are 100% my own. This post also contains an Amazon affiliate link and purchases made by using that link provide The Daring Gourmet with a few extra pennies. Thank you!