Vegan Baked French Toast
For Mother's Day this year, my whole family got together for brunch. I was tasked with making french toast for everyone. I had never attempted a dairy and egg-free version before but I had a feeling that with help of some magical chia seeds that I would be able to come up with something comparable to traditional french toast. I have to say that it turned out to be delicious and indistinguishable from the non-vegan variety. I actually make a double batch of the recipe below and that served 13 people.
What I love about this version of french toast is that you can do all of the prep work the night before. And what's better is that the prep work will take you less than 10 minutes. All you have to do in the morning is bake it and make your glaze. A little dusting of powdered sugar is a great finishing touch.
VEGAN BAKED FRENCH TOAST
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large (or 2 small) french baguette, ends removed and cut into 1/2 slices
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
Maple Glaze:
- 1/4 cup vegan margarine
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Powdered sugar for dusting
DIRECTIONS
Grease or spray a large casserole dish with coconut oil. Distribute the bread slices evenly in the dish.
In medium bowl, whisk together the almond milk with the chia seeds, vanilla, spices, and coconut sugar. Pour this mixture over the bread. Press the bread down firmly so that it soaks up the liquid. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or at least 2 hours in advance).
Preheat your oven to 350˙F. Bake the bread mixture for 30 minutes. The top should be a light golden brown colour when finished.
While the bread mixture is baking, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Melt the vegan margarine and coconut oil. Once melted add the brown sugar and maple syrup. Whisk until well combined and then remove from heat and set aside.
When the bread is done baking use a brush to slather on the glaze. Finish by dusting with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.
Next time you have a crowd to feed at breakfast or brunch give this recipe a try.
xo Allison
*Recipe adapted from DAMN DELICIOUS
