French Toast Casserole

French Toast Casserole

I was looking for a new twist on a breakfast food my kids love - French Toast.  I was getting a little bored with same old method of making them on my stove-top griddle which can span across two burners.  Unfortunately, the two adjacent burners were different sizes and so the French toast slices cooked unevenly.  This method was also messy.  After dipping the bread slices in the egg, milk, and cinnamon mixture - which you had to be careful not to leave in the dipping bowl too long - the bread would inevitably drip the mixture down between the stove and the counter, down to places we all hate to clean.  SO...........

I found a lovely alternative that my family LOVED and it does not make the mess the other makes.  In fact, you assemble it the night before and bake it in the oven the next day. 

It is very sweet - almost reminding us of the elephant ears you can get at a carnival, 

but not quite. It is so sweet that you really can't eat a lot of it at one time, making it a 

two-day breakfast fare, which makes even better!!   French Toast Casserole would be a great dish to bring to a brunch.  You can impress your friends with a very simple, make-ahead dish to pass.  Voila!! Another bonus to making this dish!!! ENJOY!!!

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tbsp. light-colored corn syrup
• 8 slices bread - any type you prefer - I just used white sandwich bread
• 6 eggs - lightly beaten
• 3 cups sweetened, condensed milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix together the brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup.  Stir until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute.  Pour into a large rectangular glass baking dish. Sprinkle one half of the cinnamon over the top of the mixture. Arrange the bread slices on top of the brown sugar mixture in the baking dish - they may overlap a little. 

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs (I have the kind of whisk shown in the Amazon Box below), condensed milk, vanilla, and salt and pour over bread slices. Sprinkle to top with the other half of the cinnamon.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.  When you are ready to bake the casserole, preheat the over to 350 degrees F.  Let the baking stand at room temperature while the oven preheats.  Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and puffed - and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.  Cut the casserole around where the bread slices are.  This recipe makes 6 servings, but you could easily adjust it to make more with a bigger baking dish.  Or you could cut the slices smaller.  Either way, it is absolutely dreamy-tasting.