Enjoy a leisurely breakfast or brunch with this buttered maple French toast casserole. It’s make-ahead and will make someone happy. Very happy.
Our family loves French Toast. I love that you can put dry bread to good use. Waste not, want not, right? I particularly love the idea of a French Toast Casserole. However, many recipes I tried in the past left me with a very gooey, custardy concoction. Not my favorite. I like a bit of crunch.
A few years ago I happened upon the idea of buttering the bread that goes in the casserole. In this way, you get a nice, toasty, crunchy top. There’s still the custard layer on the bottom. It’s like the best of both worlds. And since the bread holds its shape so well, you can eat it out hand.
I created a delicious Buttered French Toast Casserole with Almonds and Ginger in Not Your Mother’s Make-Ahead and Freeze Cookbook. It is amazingly good. If you’ve got the book and haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend it. The candied ginger, dried fruit, and almonds give it a wonderful combination of textures. Yum-O!
I use Trader Joe’s Ciabatta for this recipe and whip it up lickety-split. I realized last time I made it that I now need to make two pans. My family loves this and gobbles it down in a heartbeat. (Make croutons with any leftover bread.)
One of the great things about it — besides the amazing flavor and texture and it’s quick prep time — is that you could make it ahead of time and stash it in the refrigerator or freezer. You’ll get variations in texture, but the flavors are still amazing.
This dish is great for lazy breakfasts and brunches. Bonus: It’s naturally sweetened with maple syrup, making it a real, whole foods, kinda meal.
Buttered Maple French Toast Casserole
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 2/3 loaf ciabatta bread sliced into 1 1/2-inch slices
- 3 egg beaten
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tbsp maple syrup plus more for serving
- 2 tbsp unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Butter the bread slices and place them in the dish, buttered side up. Cut pieces to fill the pan.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, flour, and vanilla extract. Pour this over the bread slices.
- Bake until crisp and golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot with maple syrup.
- To make-ahead: Prepare the dish through step 3, cover, and refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake. If frozen, thaw completely before baking.
