BAKED FRENCH TOAST!

This baked french toast recipe may just convert you from the traditional grilled french toast method. Honey is mixed with eggs, yolks, milk, lemon zest, and spices to create the most flavorful custard base. Fresh sweet challah bread is then used to soak up the mixture and it’s all tossed with fresh raspberries and almond slices before being baked in the oven, creating a french toast that is wonderfully crisp on the outside while staying gooey, soft, and sweet on the inside. Plus, everyone’s servings are ready at the same time and it’s an awesome make-ahead dish, too. You can easily let the challah & custard base sit in the refrigerated casserole pan overnight and then pop it in the oven in the morning! – Eva

Baked Raspberry Almond French Toast
by Eva Kosmas Flores of Adventures in Cooking

Ingredients:

• 5 eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 cups milk
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 loaf challah bread, cut into 3/4-inch thick slices
• 1 pint raspberries
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• maple syrup, butter, and powdered sugar, for serving

• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks, milk, honey, vanilla, lemon zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg until smooth. Place several slices of the challah bread in the bowl and allow to soak for 5 minutes. Arrange the slices in a large greased casserole pan, and repeat this process until all of the slices have been soaked. Pour the remaining mixture into the pan. Place the raspberries and almonds between and on top of the challah slices in the pan. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the bread to soak up more of the mixture.

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the tops of the slices are slightly crisp when poked and more golden at the top. Remove from the oven and serve alongside maple syrup, butter, and powdered sugar.

recipe photos by Eva Kosmas Flores of Adventures in Cooking for designlovefest– want more food posts? go here!