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French Toast: Baked Brown Sugar Banana French Toast Casserole

Source: Found on Pinterest

This is like dessert for breakfast!

Ingredients

  • 6 Tbls. unsalted butter
  • ¾ c. light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 Tbls. pure maple syrup
  • 3 ripe-firm bananas, peeled and sliced
  • 8 large eggs
  • 1 c. milk
  • 1 c. half & half
  • 2 Tbls. light brown sugar
  • 1 t. ground cinnamon
  • 1 Tbls. pure vanilla extract
  • 15 oz. loaf French bread, cut into large cubes
  • ½ c. chopped walnuts, optional

Topping

  • 1/3 c. light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/3 c. unbleached white all-purpose flour
  • ½ t. ground cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  • 3 Tbls. cold unsalted butter, cut up in chunk

Instructions

Brown Sugar Banana Filling: In a skillet set over medium heat, melt 6 tablespoons butter. Add 3/4 c. brown sugar, 2 tablespoons maple syrup and pinch of salt. Cook stirring constantly with a wire whisk for a few minutes until the mixture is smooth. Once the mixture is smooth, remove from the heat and carefully stir in the bananas. Set aside and cool to room temperature while you prepare the French toast.

French Toast Preparation (allow time to soak overnight): In a large bowl, whisk 8 eggs, 1 c. milk, 1 c. half & half, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 t. cinnamon and 1 tablespoon vanilla.

Grease a 2-1/2 or 3 qt. casserole dish and place half the bread cubes in the bottom. Sprinkle with ¼ cup chopped walnuts, if desired. Spoon half of the banana-brown sugar mixture over the bread. Top with the remaining bread cubes and ¼ cup chopped walnuts.

Pour the custard (egg mixture) evenly over the bread cubes. Lightly press down on the top of the bread to allow the top layer of bread to absorb some of the custard mixture. Spoon the remaining banana-brown sugar mixture over the top of the French toast. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Prepare the topping.

Topping: Combine 1/3 c. brown sugar, 1/3 c. flour, ½ t. cinnamon and pinch of salt. Add butter chunks and use a fork to work the butter into the dry ingredients until evenly distributed and resembles clumpy sand. Cover and refrigerate until morning.

Baking: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove French toast from the refrigerator. Crumble the topping over the top of the French toast. Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes until puffed, golden brown and set (depends on how deep your dish is). Check the center to make sure it isn’t too wet. If so, bake longer.

Serve immediately with maple or breakfast syrup.