Recipe Background
Cinnamon French Toast is perfect for big milestones with its make-ahead ease.
It was one of those crisp mornings in early fall when I first made this cinnamon French toast for my son's kindergarten send-off. Somehow, knowing the weight of that small backpack made me nostalgic for simple beginnings. The morning light filtered through the kitchen window, illuminating the crusty loaf of sourdough that was waiting, almost like a blank canvas, on my counter. As I started tearing the bread into chunks, I found myself reminiscing about my own school days and the comfort of a warm breakfast.
I whisked together the eggs, a splash of heavy cream, and whole milk, luxuriating in the aroma of vanilla and warm spices. A little tip: let the bread soak overnight for an infusion of flavor that will make your taste buds sing. The sound of the egg mixture pouring over the bread was like a gentle reminder to slow down and savor the moment, much like I wanted to savor these fleeting times with my son. With the topping, I like to cut in cold butter to create a crumble that bakes into a delightful crisp.
By the time he was ready for school, the scent of cinnamon and nutmeg enveloped our home, making that big first step just a little bit cozier. The French toast baked to a golden perfection as I reminded myself that these were the memories we were crafting, one breakfast at a time. If you want your slices more bread-pudding-like, cut the baking time to forty-five minutes. Trust me, this small act of love became the sweet cornerstone to a brand-new chapter in our family's life.
Ingredients
For the French toast:
- butter for greasing
- 1 loaf crusty sourdough or French bread
- 8 whole eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
For the topping:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- nutmeg freshly grated, to taste
- 1 stick cold butter cut into pieces, plus more for serving
- pancake syrup warm, for serving
- 1 cup fresh blueberries for serving
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F if you are planning to actually bake the French toast today.
- Grease the baking pan with the butter.
- Tear the bread into chunks or cut it into cubes and evenly distribute the bread pieces in the prepared pan.
- Whisk the eggs, the milk, the heavy cream, the granulated sugar, 1/2 cup of the brown sugar, and the vanilla.
- Pour the cream mixture over the bread pieces.
- Cover the baking pan tightly and store it in the fridge until ready to bake. Optionally, you can store it up to overnight to truly let the flavors absorb into the bread.
- Mix the flour, the remaining brown sugar, the cinnamon, the salt, and the nutmeg in a separate bowl.
- Stir the flour mixture using a fork.
- Add the cold butter to the topping mixture and, using a pastry cutter, mix it in until it resembles fine pebbles. If you are not baking the French toast today, store the topping mixture in a resealable plastic bag in the fridge until ready to use.
- Sprinkle the topping over the top of the casserole.
- Bake the French toast until cooked through, about 45 minutes-1 hour. For a more bread pudding-like texture, lean towards 45 minutes, or for a firmer, crisper texture, extend cooking time closer to 1 hour.
- Serve with the extra butter, the warm syrup, and the blueberries.
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