French Toast: Gingerbread with Streusel Topping

Source: Found on Pinterest

Festive for Christmas morning. Made Christmas 2019

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. challah egg bread or soft French bread (minus 2-3 slices), cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 8 eggs
  • 1 3/4 c. milk
  • 1/2 c. pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 c. molasses
  • 2 t. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 t. cinnamon
  • 1 t. ground ginger
  • 1/2 t. nutmeg
  • 1/4 t. allspice
  • 1/8 t. ground cloves
  • 1/8 t. salt
  • Syrup for serving

Streusel Topping

  • 1/2 c. unbleached white all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 c. brown sugar
  • 1/4 c. salted butter, cubed and chilled
  • 1/2 t. cinnamon
  • 1/4 t. ground ginger
  • 1/8 t. nutmeg

Instructions

Generously butter (or coat with cooking spray) a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Scatter bread cubes in the bottom of the dish. Make sure there isn’t too much bread or it will get dry.Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, maple syrup, molasses, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and salt until well blended. Evenly pour over bread cubes, gently pressing down on any cubes that are sticking up so that all bread gets soaked with egg mixture.

Streusel Topping: Place flour, sugar, butter, and spices in a food processor and pulse ingredients together until crumbly, like the texture of coarse sand. Or you may use a fork or pastry cutter to cut together ingredients until crumbly.

Evenly sprinkle streusel crumbs over assembled French toast casserole. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, uncover baking dish and allow to come to room temperature while preheating the oven to 350 degrees.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until center is puffed and surface is golden brown. If bread is starting to brown too much before casserole is done, lay a sheet of foil over the top and bake for a few more minutes.

Slice into squares and serve with syrup.