Cinnamon Toast French Toast
I made this as part of brunch yesterday, and I realized I had never posted this recipe before. I first made it Christmas Eve, and it smelled delightful baking away as we opened our gifts. I've made it many times since. This is so good you will cry--if you like French toast, that is. If you don't like French toast, then don't make this. It takes about 20 minutes to put together the night before (you don't have to prep ahead if you don't want to....but why wouldn't you?), and then you can wake up and pop it in the oven. I reheated and ate the last piece this morning (still stellar) before I realized I didn't take a picture. Please forgive me, and use your imagination.
Cinnamon Toast French Toast
-from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook (one of my favorites. EVER. And I have a lot of cookbooks, so that should count for something.)
-1/2 cup granulated sugar
-1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
-16 slices (from a 1-pound loaf) white sandwich bread. I end up buying a brand that is heavier with smaller number of slices, so I just estimate.
-1 stick unsalted butter, softened--you probably won't use all of it, so just relax
-3 cups whole milk
-6 large eggs
-1/4 teaspoon table salt
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
To start, you get to make cinnamon toast the old fashioned way. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Line 2 baking sheets with foil and arrange slices of bread. Spread each slice with about 1 teaspoon of butter or just butter generously, don't measure. It's really not necessary. Sprinkle each buttered piece with 1 t. cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake trays in 450 degree oven for 7-10 minutes, or until they are golden with a nice caramelized crunch from the cinnamon sugar on top. Cool slightly. In the meantime, whisk eggs, milk, salt, and vanilla together in a large bowl. It is at this point that I usually cut my slices of bread in half. If you have the large rectangular type of bread, you will want to do this. If yours are small and square, it might not be necessary. Take the rest of your stick of butter and rub it all over a 9x13 baking dish to grease it. Arrange the toast in two rows, overlapping them kind of like fallen dominoes (crust pointed to the top of the pan, cut edge on the bottom). You will angle one row one direction, and the other row the other direction. Is that confusing? I should have taken pictures mid-layering. Pour the egg mixture on top and kind of press down to make sure all the bread will get soaked. If you have any cinnamon sugar left over, sprinkle it over the top. At this point, you can let it sit 15 minutes and then bake it at 375 (don't forget to lower your oven) for 30 min until puffed and golden (and no liquid seeps out when you poke the toasts), or stick it in the fridge overnight. Bake the next morning at 375 for about 40 minutes, or until done as described above. In either case, if it starts to brown too quickly, cover it loosely with foil. Cut into squares and eat plain, or top with syrup and/or powdered sugar and/or fruit. It is divine.