Cooking with Chef Jo: French Toast Casserole with a Twist

 Now if you've followed along with this blog very long, you know there's only two of us on this homestead. I love cooking once and serving many times. If you have a larger family or guests, this is the Rolls Royce/Cadillac of French Toast Casserole recipes. Some foods just go together like hands and gloves and they are included in this recipe...bacon and maple syrup, and cinnamon and raisins. With each serving, you get proteins, carbohydrates, and fruit for a well rounded breakfast. Sugar gives a great energy boost. I know, I know sugar is not that good for you, but every once in a while you deserve something sweet as a guilty pleasure. 

If you don't use sugar, substitute your choice of sweetener. Don't do gluten, substitute your favorite gluten-free bread. Don't like raisins, substitute another rehydrated fruit like apples or figs. Vegetarian? substitute a soy based bacon. Vegan? I haven't tried to make this with vegan substitutes yet. This recipe is easily adaptable.

Jo's French Toast Casserole with a Twist
Serves 8 

What you'll need
14-16 ounce sourdough loaf (day-old/stale) about 9 packed cups of 2" cubed bread
8 eggs
1 1/3 cups whole milk
10 slices bacon, cooked crisp and chopped into 2" pieces
1 cup rehydrated raisins* 
1/2 cup chopped pecans 
1 cup heavy cream
1 TBS pure vanilla extract*
                                                             1/3 cup pure maple syrup
                                                             1 tsp cinnamon
                                                             1/2 tsp nutmeg

Streusel Topping-

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup old fashion oats
1/3 packed cup light brown sugar*
4 TBS unsalted butter cubed
1 TBS cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

 

Notes-* To rehydrate raisins, break raisins apart in a microwave safe bowl. Add 2 TBS water per 1/2 cup of raisins. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for for 1 minute. Raisins should be plumper and not as hard. For an extra special touch substitute, half the water with rum extract.

*Try making your own vanilla extract. Madgascar or Tahitian vanilla beans are the best ($40-35 on Amazon) and 90 proof plain Vodka. In 8oz jars, place 4-5 vanilla pods in the jar and fill the jar with vodka. Place a tight fitting lid on the jar. Place in cool, dark place for 6-12 months. Remove the pod and place it in a jar of sugar for vanilla sugar, or scrape the seeds into pudding or cakes. Your cost savings will be minimal but the flavor is greater and it does double or triple duty.

* Don't have brown sugar? No sweat. 1 cup of sugar to 1TBS molasses and mix well= 1 cup unpacked cup of brown sugar.

Putting it all together

• Prepare the casserole the night before you want to bake and serve it. 
• Heavily butter a 9x13 baking dish very well.
• Tear or cut the stale bread into rough, 2-inch chunks and line the pan with the bread.
• Add bacon, pecans, and raisins to the bread. Toss lightly to distribute all the additions evenly.
• Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl. Whisk very well. Add the remaining french toast ingredients to the bowl, and whisk to combine.
• Pour the mixture over the bread. If needed, press down gently to make sure all the bread is in contact with the egg mixture.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Prepare the topping by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl with a pastry cutter or your fingers, until it resembles coarse crumbs. Cover and store in the fridge.
• The next morning, remove the casserole from the fridge while the oven preheats to 350F. Tip the pan to one side. If you notice a lot of liquid, drain the excess liquid from the casserole (this varies depending on the bread). 
• Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the casserole. 
• Cover the casserole with foil for 30 minutes to prevent burning. Uncover for the last 20-25 minutes.
• Once the oven is hot, bake the casserole for 50-65 minutes (depending on the pan used--dark ceramic pans usually require more baking time than clear glass pans), until set.The casserole is done when the center is set.  

Serving suggestions- Serve with more male syrup and dust with powdered sugar. Yes, that's right even more sugar. 😛 If I'm making a special breakfast, I'm going to do it up right. The kids or those kids at heart will love it! But I guess if you aren't, topped with fresh sliced berries will work too. You can really splurge and top it off with a dollop of whipped cream.

I said above cook once and eat many times. Instead of baking it off in a 9x13 pan, make it in 8 foil or ceramic ramekins. After you soak the casserole overnight and before you top it with the streusel, spoon the mixture into the ramekins, top with streusel, cover with foil and freeze them. When you want something extra special for breakfast, thaw and bake 350 degrees for 40 minutes. I know others who bake them off, and then freezes recipes like these, but I find that it gets soggy in the thawing process. Enjoy!

Y'all have a blessed day!

Chef Jo