I love French toast. Remember? Love it.
I love bread pudding. Remember? Loves it.
Now, French toast + bread pudding = this.
This = french toast casserole.
Math is good.
Math is delicious.
This was by far the best breakfast I’ve had in a long time. The cinnamon-y nutty topping is the best part. Perfectly eggy. Not mushy. Perfectly spiced. With a splash of the boozy. Meant to be shared. Your family and/or friends would love you for it.
French Toast Casserole
adapted from Paula Deen
Ingredients:
- 1 lb day-old challah bread
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp Grand Marnier
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
Praline Topping Ingredients
- 1 stick of butter (1/4 lb)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped walnuts – only b/c that’s what I had on hand. Next time, I’ll try pecans
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- Slice challah bread into 1 inch slices. Arrange slices into a buttered 9 x 13 flat baking dish in two rows. I overlapped the slices a bit.
- In another bowl, whisk together eggs, half and half, milk, sugar, vanilla, Grand Marnier, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
- Make sure it’s all combined. Pour mixture over the bread slices to evenly cover all the bread slices. I had to spoon some of the mix over the bread after pouring to ensure even coverage.
- Cover the pan with foil and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, preheat the oven to 350F. Take off the foil.
- Prepare the praline topping by mixing all the praline topping ingredients and blending well.
- Spread the praline topping over the bread evenly and bake for 40 minutes, until the bread puffs up and gets golden brown.
- Serve warm.
Note: I don’t think you need maple syrup as it is sufficiently sweet on its own. However, if you want to, use hot maple syrup.