Baked French Toast

In the beginning, French Toast was a way to use up old bread, and to feed a family on the cheap. Who knew back then that we’d turn it into a feast? We seem to do this a lot, by the way. Take ribs, for instance. Not the best part of the hog, obviously. Yet we make a HUGE deal out of men slowing smoking ribs spiced just so, over just the right woods, for just the right amount of time. Chili was a way to soften tough cuts of cheap meat. Coq au Vin (Chicken with Wine) made tough old roosters tender enough to eat. But here in America, it’s all top-of-the-line fare. Who knew?

I’ve already posted Easy French Toast – which is your basic, quick recipe. Then I posted Manly French Toast, which is much fancier and meant for weekends when you’re out to impress someone – like her parents. This recipe is for when you need to feed a LOT of people. Say you’re on the West Coast and your team is playing in the early time slot and it’s your turn to host the party. Maybe you and some buds went camping only to be rained out hard and so everyone came back to your place and you “camped” in your back yard like a bunch of kids, except with beer. Maybe you just have lot of hungry friends who know they can count on you to fill them up. I don’t really know. I’m just shooting in the dark. But if you have a need to feed a lot of people, this is the breakfast recipe for you. So let’s go have some fun with Baked French Toast!

Ingredients:

18 slices French bread
3 large eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Optional:

Fruit, such as strawberries, blueberries or bananas

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°.

Slice French bread on the diagonal, about 1″ thick.

Place bread slices in a single layer in a pair of 13 x 9 glass or ceramic baking dishes.

Crack eggs into large bowl. Beat with whisk until they beg for mercy.

Add milk and vanilla extract to the bowl and beat it all again.

Pour egg mixture over the bread, dividing it evenly between the two pans. Carefully turn bread over so the tops can absorb some of the egg mixture. Wait about twenty seconds, then turn again. Keep doing this until most of the eggs have been absorbed by the bread.

Spray baking dishes with cooking spray, or lightly coat with oil. Transfer bread slices into baking dishes.

Bake at 400° for 10 minutes, the turn slices and bake another ten minutes or so. When done, they should be browned and a little puffy.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and powdered sugar and serve immediately.

Serve with additional powdered sugar, syrup and fruit.

Notes:

Three slices are a decent meal for a lot of folks. You’re hungriest guests will want more, so figure three slices per guest. That means this recipe will feed six people. If you’re feeding more than that, it’s best to do multiple batches one after the other, instead of trying to do it all at once. Of course, if you’ve got enough baking dishes and such, feel free to fill up both racks in your oven.

All of the fruit options mentioned in the Manly French Toast recipe are valid here. Check them out and use whichever ones catch your fancy.

Obviously, you can use any type of bread you choose, but I’ve got to say that using French bread makes the whole thing quite a bit more elegant. And even if you’re serving your most Neanderthal friends, they’ll probably be impressed.

The next time our home is invaded by an entire pick-up football team, now you know how to feed them. Have fun, and don’t forget to…

Play with your food!

Lane

I have more Breakfast Recipes here.

Did you like this recipe? What recipes would you like to learn? Leave me a comment and tell me your thoughts! (And don’t forget to LIKE this post!) Share it using the tiles below.

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