Sunday, February 15, 2015

Baked French Toast


Let me start by saying this is NOT my original creation.  I'm reposting it here for convenience because every time I make it, someone asks me how to make it.  The original recipe can be found at Morman Mavens in the Kitchen.  They, by the way, have a ton of other A-MAZ-ING recipes on their blog that I often resort to.  

A few notes about this recipe:

~The original recipe calls for a loaf of sour dough bread.  This option works great, but I really prefer french toast bread.  It is really important to use a dense bread, or you will have a soggy mess on your hands.  Challah bread is also a great choice.

~Do not try to make the topping with margarine.  Also, do not try to mix the butter into the topping mixture with a fork or a spoon.  Use a pastry cutter cut the butter into the dry mix, or you'll have a glob of butter mix instead of a "pebble" consistency topping.

~IF you end up with a butter glob when you make the topping, you can spoon it in small globs on top or try to spread it.  It's not optimal, but it works.

~For best results, prep this the night before you want to bake it.  This gives the bread a chance to absorb the egg.   

~I take no responsibility for the weight you will gain from this dish. 

Ingredients:
1 loaf dense bread (I used French Toast Bread purchased at Walmart)
8 eggs
2 cups milk (I used 2%)
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. vanilla


Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick cold butter, cut into pieces


Directions
 1.  Grease a deep 9x13 pan (I used a lasagna pan).  Tear bread into small chunks and place evenly in the pan.

2.  Mix together the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.  Pour evenly over bread.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge overnight.


3.  Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.  Cut the butter into the dry mixture with a pastry cutter until it all looks nice and crumbly (pebble size works best).  Place crumb mixture in a ziploc bag and place in refrigerator.


4.  When ready to bake, take pan and bag out of fridge.  Remove plastic wrap from pan and evenly sprinkle the crumb mixture over the top.  Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees (or 45 minutes if you like it more soft).


5.  Serve hot with syrup or sugar glaze (see Morman Maven recipe link for the sugar glaze - we prefer syrup). 

Final notes:
~  Microwave leftovers are just as good as the original!
~  We just scoop ours out, but you could feasibly portion control by cutting even slices... we don't do portion control in our house.
~ If you don't have a pastry cutter (we don't), there is a method to cut the butter with two knives motioning in opposite directions.  You can see this method here.

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Five Minute Friday - When

 

Joining the Five Minute Friday folks with Kate Motaung for 5 minutes of beautiful, unedited, raw writing. Take some time and come join us. Bless someone with your story.

Friday's word is...

When.

When will I want to write again?
When will the words come? 
When will I sit in front of the keyboard and the words flow effortlessly from my fingers?
When will I be able to get all of the jumbled thoughts... the webs of words... organized into clear, comprehensible thoughts?
When will this season pass?
When.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wait for the Lord be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27:14