Challah French Toast With Berry Sauce

For French toast:
3 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1-pound challah loaf, cut crosswise into 12 slices (not including end
pieces), each about 1/2-inch thick
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For berry sauce:
3 cups mixed berries such as blackberries, raspberries and blueberries
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar (depending on sweetness of berries)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Confectioners sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk together eggs, milk, sugar and salt until blended. Pour into a large baking pan and soak break slices in 1 layer, turning once, for 8 minutes.

While bread is soaking, puree 1 1/2 cups berries with sugar and lemon juice in a blender. If you want to eliminate seeds, for puree through a very fine sieve into a bowl. Transfer to a serving bowl and fold in remaining berries.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet or griddle over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Transfer 4 soaked bread slices to skillet with a slotted spatula and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side.

Cook remaining bread in 2 batches, adding more butter as needed. Transfer slices as cooked to a large shallow baking pan (using a clean spatula) and, when all are browned, bake in middle of oven until hot, about 5 minutes. Serve with berry sauce. Dust with confectioners sugar.

Serves 4.