Saturday, September 1, 2012

Baked Apple French Toast Casserole


This Recipe is Featured in Redbook's, Ten Casseroles You Must Try





From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a lovely casserole to keep in mind for a weekend breakfast or brunch. As breakfast casseroles go, this inexpensive treat is a snap to make, and it has the added advantage of being as kind to the hips as it is to the wallet. The first of our local apples come to market toward the end of August, and this version of French toast appears on my table very soon after that. It seems like a great way to mark the passing of summer and I like to serve it for breakfast at some point over the Labor Day weekend. There are many versions of this dish floating through cyberspace. I finally settled on this one because of its judicious use fats and sugar. While I prefer to serve the casserole with a sprinkling of powdered sugar, I do make syrup available for others at the table. I usually prepare the one outlined in this recipe, but if I'm rushed I'll serve maple syrup or use a commercial caramel sauce that I thin a bit for easy pouring. The times suggested in the recipe are variables based on personal taste and experience. I prefer the texture of a drier toast, so I bake mine for over an hour. If you prefer a texture more akin to bread pudding, reduce oven time accordingly. This is a nice breakfast dish and I think you'll find it a welcome addition to your table. Here's the recipe.

Baked Apple French Toast Casserole.
..from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

French Toast
1 (1 pound) loaf French bread, torn into bite-size cubes
6 eggs
1-1/2 cups skim milk
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons white sugar, divided use
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 medium Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and cut in 1/2-inch dice
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Syrup
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup skim milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1) Spray or grease bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
2) To make French toast: Scatter bread cubes in bottom of prepared pan. Place eggs, milk, 1/3 cup sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and beat to combine. Pour mixture over bread cubes. Mix cinnamon, nutmeg and 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl. Add apple cubes and toss to coat. Spread apples over bread cubes. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Thirty minutes before baking, remove casserole from refrigerator and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake casserole for 60 to 75 minutes, or until custard is set and golden brown. Serve casserole hot with warm syrup. Yield: 8 servings.
3) To make syrup: Combine white sugar, flour, and melted butter in a small saucepan. Stir in brown sugar, skim milk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Cook, stirring, until thick.







One Year Ago Today: Wild Rice and Vegetable Pilaf














Two Years Ago Today: Quinoa Salad with Asian-Style Dressing















Three Years Ago Today: Mud-Slide Chocolate Cake with Coffee and Kahlua

29 comments :

Zane and Van said...

This baked apple french toast looks heavenly! Wish we could have a bite :)

Barbara F. said...

I would love to wake up to this in the a.m. I'd better get to sleep! xo

~~louise~~ said...

What a comforting dish to send me off to nighty nigh, Mary. I can just imagine the heavenly aroma filling the air as your Apple French Toast Casserole bakes in the oven. I'd welcome a brunch invitation any time just for a nibble:)

Thank you so much for sharing, Mary. I'm off to bed now and I'll be thinking about how nice it would be to wake up to such goodness:)

P.S. You've been Pinned!!!

Alicia Foodycat said...

This does look brilliant! I will definitely make this at some point.

Diane said...

As you say this sounds easy and it looks really yummy. Great idea. Have a good weekend Diane

Lynn said...

Sounds like a nice treat for coffee with Ma! Happy Labor Day Weekend Mary:@)

Alessandra said...

A bit like a bread and butter pudding? It looks delicious!

Have a good weekend

ciao
Alessandra

From the Kitchen said...

With only three more weeks of summer, I've been pulling out apple recipes that I somehow feel I should only do in the fall. Perhaps the anticipation makes them more treasured on the table. I'm putting this recipe in the pile.

Have a great weekend.

Best,
Bonnie

Red Nomad OZ said...

I'm salivating, as usual. And it's not just because I've been on the road for 3 months with no oven!! Have a great weekend!!

Lilli said...

sooooo good mary!!!

cocoa and coconut said...

Gosh I love this idea, it reminds me of a bread and butter pudding. What an indulgent way to have brunch! Love the inclusion of apples..mmm

Andrea V. said...

That looks absolutely delicious! Would love that right now with a nice hot cup of joe :)

David said...

Mary, The only problem with a dish like this Baked Apple French Toast Caserole is that it's the kind of comfort food that I would not be able to resist...and it would be gone before it cooled down! Yum! Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Eileen said...

Yum. That looks heavenly. Hope you have a lovely Labor Day weekend.

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

Sounds like a perfect Fall brunch recipe, Mary! I'd like to make this for my family soon.

Jocie's Mom said...

Oooh! This sounds heavenly! I bet it smells absolutely incredible :) Great way to seque from summer to fall

Kim said...

This looks like a lovely way to start a week-end day! I'll definitly try this... maybe I'll bake it monday morning (it's labor day!)

teresa said...

this is just perfect for fall! lovely!

Shug said...

Now, that's what I call a good looking dish!
Have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend.
shug

Fabi said...

Nice, simple and delicious, Mary! I wish you a nice weekend. Big hug, dear.

Lori E said...

This is one to keep handy for sure. It is always hard to come up with breakfast for a group without becoming a short order cook.

The Slim Duck said...

Absolutely delicious!

Jackie said...

Hi Mary

Did you use a fresh or stale loaf of bread for this recipe? Also, could I use a egg bread with this recipe, such as brioche or challah.

Mary Bergfeld said...

Jackie, I used day old bread. You can use an egg bread, but it will add calories to the dish. Have a great day. Blessings...Mary

France@beyondthepeel said...

That looks like the perfect brunch idea for a large group. Thanks for sharing.

Unknown said...

This is a great recipe, thanks for sharing. I like that it has lots of apples:) I also saw your apple pie recipe with cheddar, I've always wanted to try that after seeing a similar recipe in Joy of Cooking.

Joanne said...

Hmm I wonder if I could somehow make this with bagels! We have a TON in the fridge and I'd love to use them up with this!

Anne @ Webicurean said...

That truly looks amazing!

tender b. said...

Baked French toast is the way to go.

Related Posts with Thumbnails

Printfriendly