Earl Cooks Baked French Toast

Baked French Toast

Breakfast for Dinner is never a bad idea. I wanted to use up the last of a loaf of Homemade Bread that my wife baked. Let me make a side comment here. I don't bake. I consider BAKING a science (all that measuring, weighing, timing...yuck), and COOKING an art, with me as the artist, the kitchen my humble studio, my brushes are my tools and pans, and my ingredients are my paints, (Oh, and my wife won't let me use her baking tools and ingredients)! Back to dinner...


Ingredients

• Homemade Bread sliced into five or six ½ to ¾ inch slices 
• 6 large eggs
• ½ cup milk
• Ground Cinnamon (to taste)
• REAL vanilla extract (never use imitation)
• Granulated Sugar - Enough to cover surface of slices 

Instructions

• Whisk together all ingredients EXCEPT bread and sugar in a mixing bowl thoroughly. No white or yellow clumps to be seen.
• Cut the loaf into about ¾ inch slices(I used 5 slices for the 2 of us. 4 full slices and 1 slice cut in half to fit into the pan).
• Spray a 9 x 13 Pyrex® baking dish with non-stick spray, bottom and sides and place bread in bottom of pan to cover. (If you are making enough for more, you can shingle bread slices.)
• Pour ¾ of the mixture over the top of the bread slices and let that soak in for 15-20 minutes. Then flip the slices and pour remaining mixture over drier areas of the bread. Allow to sit for a few more minutes and soak in. While you are waiting, preheat your oven to 350°.
• Just before baking, sprinkle bread with sugar. This will give it a bit of a crunch as the sugar caramelizes. 
• Bake for 40 minutes, rotating after 20.
• Top with your favorite syrup, fresh fruit, preserves or whipped cream after you slather each piece with butter!

Hint-Baked Bacon

• We like to have bacon or sausage with our French toast. Place the Bacon on a lined baking sheet and cook while you wait for the egg mixture to soak in!