Recipe: Baked Cinnamon Apple French Toast

Baked Apple Cinnamon French Toast recipe
Yields1 Serving
 3 tbsp unsalted butter
 3 cups chopped apples (1/2 inch pieces)
 2 tbsp light brown sugar
 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon, divided
 1 lb brioche or sourdough bread, cut into cubes
 8 oz (1 package) full fat cream cheese, cut into cubes
 12 large eggs, beaten
 1 ½ cups half and half
 ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  cup pure maple syrup
 ½ cup raisins
 2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
 ½ tsp Kosher salt
 ½ cup chopped pecans
1

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the apples and cook about 5 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened. Stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Continue cooking until the sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl to cool.

2

Butter or spray a 9X13 casserole dish. Place 1/2 of the bread cubes in the bottom of the baking dish in an even layer. Top with 1/2 of the apple mixture and cream cheese cubes. Layer again with the rest of the bread cubes and then the rest of the apple mixture & cream cheese.

3

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, half and half, orange juice, maple syrup, raisins, vanilla, rest of the cinnamon and salt. Pour over the apple/bread mixture. Cover the casserole, set in the fridge and let soak for at least 2 hours to overnight.

4

Remove the casserole from the fridge 30 minutes before baking. Top with the pecans.

5

Pre-heat the oven to 350˚ F with the rack in the middle. Bake the casserole covered with foil for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is cooked through.

6

Serve immediately with more maple syrup and whipped cream.

Ingredients

 3 tbsp unsalted butter
 3 cups chopped apples (1/2 inch pieces)
 2 tbsp light brown sugar
 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon, divided
 1 lb brioche or sourdough bread, cut into cubes
 8 oz (1 package) full fat cream cheese, cut into cubes
 12 large eggs, beaten
 1 ½ cups half and half
 ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  cup pure maple syrup
 ½ cup raisins
 2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
 ½ tsp Kosher salt
 ½ cup chopped pecans

Directions

1

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the apples and cook about 5 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened. Stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Continue cooking until the sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl to cool.

2

Butter or spray a 9X13 casserole dish. Place 1/2 of the bread cubes in the bottom of the baking dish in an even layer. Top with 1/2 of the apple mixture and cream cheese cubes. Layer again with the rest of the bread cubes and then the rest of the apple mixture & cream cheese.

3

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, half and half, orange juice, maple syrup, raisins, vanilla, rest of the cinnamon and salt. Pour over the apple/bread mixture. Cover the casserole, set in the fridge and let soak for at least 2 hours to overnight.

4

Remove the casserole from the fridge 30 minutes before baking. Top with the pecans.

5

Pre-heat the oven to 350˚ F with the rack in the middle. Bake the casserole covered with foil for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is cooked through.

6

Serve immediately with more maple syrup and whipped cream.

Recipe: Baked Cinnamon Apple French Toast

~ Marla Meridith

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