Because I like sweet and sticky carbs, and so I could get what I wanted, from about the age of 14 I was our family’s weekend breakfast maker. This was mostly pancakes and other sweet stuff like my self-invented “whack and bake” French Toast. You know, the kind of store-bought tube biscuit dough that you must “whack” on the counter to break open the tube, plus an egg and milk mixture, and cinnamon. If my siblings and I begged enough, Dad would make his blender version of Orange Julius (orange juice, honey and ice) to go with my French toast. Despite the distinctive commercial biscuit chemical taste, my innovative French Toast wasn’t too bad.
Assembled the night before and baked the next morning, this “real ingredient” baked French Toast is a perfect way to feed many people (brunch!)
It’s French Toast all at once instead of keeping family and friends waiting for their batch. It is infinitely variable with types of bread, nut, berry or other fruit, and syrups or compotes.
Leftovers, tightly covered in plastic, also freeze well. Just thoroughly thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat the next morning at 350F for 20 minutes until warmed throughout.
Here’s the recipe:
Baked French Toast with Apples
Ingredients
- 1 large loaf of French or Italian bread (not a baguette) *
- 10 large eggs
- 4 cups half and half
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 medium cooking apples (e.g., Golden Delicious or Granny Smith work well)
- 3 tablespoons butter, diced
Directions
- Spray a 9 X 13 baking dish with vegetable oil or butter the dish.
- Slice bread into 1 1/2 inch slices. Place into baking dish, slightly staggered, closely together.
- In a mixing bowl, beat together eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, half and half and vanilla. Pour half of the egg mixture evenly over the bread.
- Peel, core and slice apples. Place sliced apples on top of bread to cover. (Cut 8 wedges from each apple.).
- Pour remaining half of egg mixture evenly over the apples.
- Mix remaining 1/2 cup sugar with cinnamon and nutmeg and sprinkle evenly over apples.
- Dot with butter.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Pre-heat oven to 350F.
- Uncover dish and bake 60 – 70 minutes. Egg custard should be set and the apples soft.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 10 – 15 minutes before serving. (This will help achieve clean cuts.).
- Any hardy bread will work, avoid squishy supermarket pre-sliced bread. If you have any panettone left over from the holidays, that would be scrumptious, too.
Alternatives:
Don’t like apples? Don’t use them! Try pears (peeled and cored) or figs when in season. Stone fruits will leech too much liquid, so avoid those. Love nuts? Sprinkle on 1 cup of your favorite chopped nuts (pecans work well). Use the provided bread and egg base and be creative with your own add ins.
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Greg Nelson Cooks 