We are fortunate to have a Great Harvest Bread Company near by where we can get all kinds of freshly baked bread. You need to use Great Harvest’s bread as it is very dense and soaks up all of the egg/milk mixture. Grocery store bread is too light and is not good for these recipes.
French Toast Casserole
- 1 loaf Cinnamon Crunch, torn in pieces
- 8 eggs
- 3 cups milk
- 4 tsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 3/4 tsp. salt
Topping: 2 tbsp. butter, cubed; 2 tbsp. sugar; 2 tsp. cinnamon
Place bread cubes in a greased 9x13x2-inch baking dish. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and salt together; pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Dot with butter. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Check after 50 minutes – you do want it cooked through as it has a custard like texture. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Serves 8-10
Recipe by cooking with aunt juju http://cookingwithauntjuju.com/2011/11/14/french-toast-casserole/
Apple Cinnamon Crunch French Toast
- 1 loaf Cinnamon Crunch bread, cubed
- 8 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. almond extract
- 1 (21 oz.) apple pie filling
Place cubed bread in a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and almont extract; stir in the apple pie filling. Pour over bread and chill overnight or for at least 2 hours. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees 50 to 60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. This last time it took an hour and 10 minutes.
The combination of apples and cinnamon bread – yum! Serve with maple syrup. This recipe seems to be the favorite of the two – the addition of apple pie filling makes this breakfast dish extra special.
Recipe by cooking with aunt juju http://cookingwithauntjuju.com/2011/11/14/french-toast-casserole/
See also my recipe French Toast Four Ways.