Shared by Alex Levin

This recipe was shared by Alex Levin. Read more about his family in "A Pastry Chef Reimagines His Grandmother’s Challah" and try his recipe for honey challah with seeds.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla bean seeds and salt to combine.
Place the challah slices in a shallow baking dish and pour the egg mixture over the bread. Flip the bread over to absorb the egg mixture into both sides and let soak for 5 minutes.
Heat a cast iron skillet or large saute pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter. When the butter is sizzling, add the soaked challah and lower the heat slightly. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining bread adding more butter as needed. You can keep the finished slices warm on a sheet tray in the oven while cooking the remaining batches.
Serve hot with maple syrup or macerated berries.