Description
This French Toast Bake is a deliciously easy breakfast casserole featuring slices of challah bread soaked in a cinnamon-spiced egg and almond milk mixture, baked to golden perfection. Topped with a sweet brown sugar cinnamon crumb and served with toasted almonds, fruit, and optional maple syrup, it’s a comforting and crowd-pleasing dish perfect for weekend brunch or holiday mornings.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup almond milk (or any milk of choice)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of sea salt
- 10 to 12 slices challah bread (about 1 loaf), cut into 1-inch slices on a slight diagonal
- Non-stick spray or olive oil (for greasing)
Topping
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ heaping teaspoon cinnamon
For Serving
- ¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
- ¼ cup pomegranate arils or desired fruit
- Maple syrup (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray or olive oil to prevent sticking during baking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, almond milk, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of sea salt until fully combined. This mixture will soak into the bread and give it its custardy texture and flavor.
- Prepare Topping: In a small bowl, mix the 3 tablespoons brown sugar with the ¼ teaspoon cinnamon until combined. This mixture will be sprinkled on top to create a sweet, crisp crust.
- Assemble Bread: Dip each slice of challah bread into the egg mixture, allowing it to soak momentarily. Arrange the slices overlapping and slightly tilted in the prepared baking dish. If your loaf has uneven slices, alternate placement to keep the surface level for even baking.
- Add Topping and Bake: Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon-brown sugar topping over the bread slices. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the custard is set and the top is golden-brown and crisp.
- Finish and Serve: Remove from the oven and top with toasted sliced almonds and pomegranate arils or your choice of fruit. Serve warm with maple syrup on the side if desired for extra sweetness.
Notes
- Using stale or day-old challah bread works best as it absorbs the custard better without becoming too soggy.
- You can substitute almond milk with regular milk or any non-dairy milk according to your preference.
- Feel free to switch out the pomegranate arils for berries or any seasonal fruit you like.
- For a richer custard, you can replace one egg with an extra egg yolk or add a splash of heavy cream.
- This bake can be prepared the night before by assembling and refrigerating overnight, then baking in the morning.
- To toast almonds, spread them on a baking sheet and toast in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
