It’s a fact of life that sisters borrow things. Why should cookware and recipes be any different? Case in point—this recipe for Overnight French Toast Bake and the red clay bakeware are from my sister, Alex. She made this dish one time for a family brunch years ago, and I’ve finally gotten around to making it for myself.
It’s super simple to make. You’re basically using same ingredients that goes into regular french toast, but a little more in terms of quantity. You put eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and a touch of maple syrup in a bowl and whisk together. Pour over slices of soft bread. Any kind will do: challah, egg bread, brioche. I used Hawaiian bread for my recipe, which is why the bread appears so yellow. I used about a loaf and a half, so I recommend getting two loaves just in case. Top with chopped nuts of choice. I had pralines on hand, extra from another recipe I just made (red velvet cake), but any kind of nut will do.
Cover and put it away overnight.
The next morning, about an hour before you want to eat, pop that french toast in the oven. You would think that the bread would come out soggy, but if you cook it long enough it will result in a super moist center, with a crispy, crusty top. If you use chopped nuts, those will be nicely roasted and add a delicious nutty flavor. Don’t leave those out! They make this recipe.
Then drizzle with a little bit of extra maple syrup. You can also add a little melted butter over the top.
How ridiculously easy is that? This is the reason why this recipe is so popular for brunches and around Christmas time because you can take ten minutes to prep the night before and the next morning, a delicious breakfast can be enjoyed with no active cooking time.
There’s enough here for several servings. In my case, leftovers didn’t last long and I promptly returned the bakeware. The recipe, though, is mine to enjoy now. Yours, too!
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Ingredients
- 2 loaves sweet soft bread like Hawaiian bread, challah, or brioche, sliced thickly
- 8 eggs
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- chopped pralines for topping optional
Instructions
- Grease the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish.
- Layer the bread into the dish.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients (melted butter, eggs, half and half, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, maple syrup).
- Sprinkle the nuts over (if using).
- When blended together, drizzle over the bread.
- Cover with plastic wrap or foil and let sit in fridge overnight.
- Next morning, preheat over to 350 degrees.
- When ready, bake for 40 minutes covered and 20 minutes uncovered
- Drizzle with melted butter and maple syrup to taste.
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