Baked French Toast Recipe

French bread: A fresh loaf of French bread is ideal for this recipe, providing a sturdy base that soaks up the egg mixture beautifully.

Eggs: Large eggs are essential for creating the custard-like mixture that binds the dish together.

Milk: Adds moisture and helps to create the custard base.

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

Granulated sugar: Sweetens the egg mixture and balances the flavors.

Vanilla extract: Enhances the overall flavor with a sweet, aromatic note.

Ground cinnamon: Adds warmth and spice to the dish.

Ground nutmeg: Provides a subtle, nutty flavor that complements the cinnamon.

Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.

Butter: Melts into the topping, creating a rich, caramelized finish.

Brown sugar: Adds a deep, molasses-like sweetness to the topping.

Corn syrup: Helps to create a smooth, caramelized topping.

To ensure your baked French toast has a rich and custardy texture, allow the bread slices to soak in the egg mixture for at least 30 minutes before baking. This gives the bread time to absorb all the flavors and moisture, resulting in a more decadent dish. If you have the time, you can even refrigerate the assembled dish overnight for an even deeper infusion of flavors.

• french bread - Substitute with brioche: Brioche is rich and buttery, making it an excellent alternative for a more decadent baked French toast.

• french bread - Substitute with challah: Challah is slightly sweet and has a soft texture, which works well in absorbing the custard mixture.

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

• 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 has a neutral taste, making it a suitable dairy-free replacement.

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

• granulated sugar - Substitute with coconut sugar: Coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index and adds a slight caramel flavor.

• granulated sugar - Substitute with maple syrup: Maple syrup adds a natural sweetness and a distinct flavor profile.

• vanilla extract - Substitute with almond extract: Almond extract provides a different but complementary flavor to the dish.

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

• ground nutmeg - Substitute with allspice: Allspice has a similar warm flavor and can be used in place of nutmeg.

• salt - Substitute with sea salt: Sea salt has a slightly different mineral content and can enhance the flavors similarly.

• butter - Substitute with margarine: Margarine is a non-dairy alternative that provides a similar texture and flavor.

• butter - Substitute with coconut oil: Coconut oil is a dairy-free option that adds a subtle coconut flavor and richness.

• brown sugar - Substitute with date sugar: Date sugar is less processed and adds a natural sweetness with a hint of caramel.

• brown sugar - Substitute with honey: Honey provides a natural sweetness and a unique flavor profile.

• corn syrup - Substitute with agave nectar: Agave nectar is a natural sweetener with a similar consistency to corn syrup.

• corn syrup - Substitute with maple syrup: Maple syrup is a natural sweetener that can replace corn syrup in many recipes.

• Allow the baked French toast to cool completely at room temperature before storing.
• For short-term storage, cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
• If you prefer individual servings, slice the French toast into portions and place them in an airtight container. Layer parchment paper between slices to prevent sticking.
• For longer storage, wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer-safe bag. Label the bag with the date.
• When ready to enjoy, thaw the French toast in the refrigerator overnight.
• Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 15-20 minutes or until warmed through. Alternatively, you can microwave individual portions for 1-2 minutes.
• To maintain the crispy topping, consider reheating in a toaster oven or under the broiler for a few minutes.

• Oven Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Place the leftover 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. For a crispy top, remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of heating.

• Microwave Method:

  1. Place a portion of the French toast on a microwave-safe plate.
  2. Cover with a microwave-safe cover or another plate to retain moisture.
  3. Heat on medium power for 1-2 minutes, checking halfway through.
  4. If not heated through, continue in 30-second intervals until warm.

• Stovetop Method:

  1. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
  2. Add a small amount of butter or oil to the skillet.
  3. Place the French toast slices in the skillet.
  4. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until heated through and slightly crispy.

• Air Fryer Method:

  1. Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Place the French toast slices in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
  3. Heat for 3-5 minutes, or until warmed through and crispy on the edges.

• Toaster Oven Method:

  1. Preheat your toaster oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Place the French toast slices on the toaster oven tray.
  3. Heat for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through and the top is slightly crispy.

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

• Bread knife: Essential for slicing the French bread into 1-inch thick slices.

• Large bowl: Needed for whisking together the eggs, milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

• Whisk: Used to thoroughly mix the egg mixture ingredients.

• Greased baking dish: Holds the bread slices and egg mixture for baking.

• Saucepan: Used to melt the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup over medium heat.

• Measuring cups: Necessary for accurately measuring the milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.

• Measuring spoons: Used to measure the vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and corn syrup.

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

• Oven mitts: Protects your hands when placing the baking dish in and out of the oven.

Prepare ingredients in advance: Measure and mix the egg mixture the night before to save time in the morning.

Use pre-sliced bread: Buy pre-sliced french bread to skip the slicing step.

Melt butter in microwave: Use the microwave to quickly melt the butter for the syrup mixture.

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

Preheat oven early: Start preheating the oven while preparing the ingredients to save time.