Brunch Baked French Toast Recipe

French bread: The base of the dish, providing texture and absorbing the flavorful custard.

Eggs: Essential for creating the custard mixture that binds the dish together.

Milk: Adds moisture and helps create the custard base.

Heavy cream: Adds richness and a creamy texture to the custard.

Sugar: Sweetens the dish and balances the flavors.

Vanilla extract: Adds a warm, aromatic flavor to the custard.

Ground cinnamon: Provides a hint of spice and warmth.

Salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the dish.

To ensure your French bread absorbs the egg mixture evenly, give it a gentle press with a spatula after pouring the mixture over the bread cubes. This helps to distribute the liquid more uniformly and ensures every piece is well-soaked, resulting in a more cohesive and flavorful baked French toast.

• french bread - Substitute with brioche: Brioche is rich and buttery, providing a similar texture and flavor profile to french bread.

• french bread - Substitute with challah: Challah is slightly sweet and soft, making it an excellent alternative for a rich and tender baked french toast.

• eggs - Substitute with flax eggs: Mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water per egg. This is a great vegan alternative that helps bind the ingredients together.

• milk - Substitute with almond milk: Almond milk is a dairy-free option that provides a similar consistency and mild flavor.

• milk - Substitute with oat milk: Oat milk is creamy and neutral in flavor, making it a good dairy-free substitute.

• heavy cream - Substitute with coconut cream: Coconut cream is rich and thick, providing a similar texture and richness as heavy cream, with a slight coconut flavor.

• sugar - Substitute with maple syrup: Maple syrup adds a natural sweetness and a hint of maple flavor, which complements the other ingredients well.

• sugar - Substitute with honey: Honey is a natural sweetener that adds a unique flavor and can be used in place of sugar.

• vanilla extract - Substitute with almond extract: Almond extract provides a different but complementary flavor that can enhance the overall taste of the dish.

• ground cinnamon - Substitute with pumpkin pie spice: Pumpkin pie spice includes cinnamon along with other warm spices like nutmeg and cloves, adding a more complex flavor.

• salt - Substitute with sea salt: Sea salt can be used in the same quantity and provides a slightly different mineral flavor.

• To store your Brunch Baked French Toast, allow it to cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled, cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. This will keep it fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

• For individual servings, cut the French toast into portions and place them in airtight containers. This makes it easy to grab a quick breakfast or snack.

• If you plan to freeze the French toast, let it cool completely first. Then, wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. This method will keep your French toast fresh for up to 2 months.

• When you’re ready to enjoy your frozen French toast, remove the desired portions from the freezer and let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

• To reheat, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the thawed French toast on a baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until heated through.

• Alternatively, you can reheat individual portions in the microwave. Place a portion on a microwave-safe plate and heat on high for 1-2 minutes, or until warmed through.

• For a crispier texture, consider reheating in a toaster oven or on a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes on each side.

• Always check the internal temperature to ensure it’s heated thoroughly before serving.

• Oven Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Place the leftover brunch baked french toast in an oven-safe dish.
  3. Cover the dish with aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out.
  4. Heat for about 15-20 minutes or until warmed through.
  5. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes to crisp up the top if desired.

• Microwave Method:

  1. Place a portion of the brunch baked french toast on a microwave-safe plate.
  2. Cover it with a microwave-safe cover or a damp paper towel.
  3. Microwave on medium power for 1-2 minutes, checking halfway through to ensure it heats evenly.
  4. If not heated through, continue microwaving in 30-second intervals.

• Stovetop Method:

  1. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
  2. Add a small amount of butter or olive oil to the skillet.
  3. Place the leftover brunch baked french toast in the skillet.
  4. Cover the skillet with a lid and heat for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until warmed through and slightly crispy.

• Air Fryer Method:

  1. Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Place the brunch baked french toast in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
  3. Heat for about 5-7 minutes, checking halfway through to ensure it heats evenly.
  4. If needed, heat for an additional 2-3 minutes until warmed through and crispy.

• Oven: Used to bake the French toast at a consistent temperature of 350°F (175°C).

• Baking dish: Holds the cubed French bread and egg mixture while baking.

• Mixing bowl: Used to whisk together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt.

• Whisk: Helps to thoroughly combine the egg mixture ingredients.

• Measuring cups: Used to measure the milk, heavy cream, and sugar accurately.

• Measuring spoons: Used to measure the vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt accurately.

• Knife: Used to cut the French bread into cubes.

• Cutting board: Provides a safe surface to cut the French bread.

• Spatula: Helps to evenly spread the egg mixture over the bread cubes.

• Cooking spray: Used to grease the baking dish to prevent sticking.

Prepare ingredients ahead: Cube the french bread and measure out the milk, heavy cream, and sugar the night before.

Use a large mixing bowl: This allows you to whisk the eggs, milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt all at once, saving time.

Soak overnight: Let the bread cubes soak in the egg mixture overnight in the refrigerator, so it's ready to bake in the morning.

Preheat the oven early: Turn on the oven while you prepare the dish to save waiting time.

Use parchment paper: Line the baking dish with parchment paper for easy cleanup.