Cinnamon Baked French Toast
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Rating
4.7 out of 5 stars
(7)
Ingredients
12 serving(s)
- 1 loaf crusty sourdough or French bread
- 8 whole eggs
- 2 c. whole milk
- 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 c. sugar
- 2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 c. firmly-packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 pinch nutmeg (optional)
- 1 stick cold butter, cut into pieces
- Fresh fruit (optional)
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Preparation
Step 1
Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with butter. Tear bread into chunks (or cut into cubes) and evenly distribute in the pan.
Step 2
Mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla in a medium sized bowl. Pour evenly over the bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
Step 3
Mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl. Add nutmeg if desired. Add butter pieces and cut them into the dry mixture until the mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in a zip-top bag in the fridge.
Step 4
When you're ready to bake the casserole, preheat oven to 350°. Remove the casserole from the fridge and sprinkle the crumb mixture over the top. (If you're using fruit, sprinkle on before the crumb mixture.) Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding-like texture. Bake 1 hour or more for a firmer, crispier texture.
Step 5
Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter and drizzle with maple syrup.
Step 6
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Chef's notes
You can either make this a moist, bread pudding-like dish or bake it a little longer for something crispier. You can also sprinkle on fruit before adding the crumb topping and even add chopped pecans to said crumb topping. Get creative!
The best French toast starts with a good custard. I use a mix of milk and heavy cream to make it taste extra rich. The second important component is the bread:
It should be nice and crusty.
