baked french toast

i got this recipe from my lovely and delightful co-worker Jenn, and made it for a girls brunch on christmas eve.  i brought the leftovers home and my family liked it so much, they asked me to make it again for the morning after christmas.  then i made it again the next day.  yep.  3 times in one weekend.  so, make this baked french toast at your own risk, but please don't hold me responsible for your lack of self control.

start by slicing some french bread into 1 1/4 inch slices & dry slightly

spread tops with neufchatel cheese and arrange in greased casserole dish

whip together 6 eggs, some milk, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, & nutmeg

pour mixture over bread slices.  cover and refrigerate overnight.

next morning, take dish out of fridge 45 min before cooking

mix topping  of butter, brown sugar, nuts, & corn syrup. spread over bread slices

bake 40-45 min until puffed and golden.

confession:  when i first tried this recipe, i didn't realize there was supposed to be a second layer of bread on top of the slices covered in neufchatel.  so basically you want little sandwiches.  the dish was a little soggy, but still delectable.  i made it 3 times like this and nobody wanted to beat me up.  next time, however, i'll add the second layer of bread and it'll really soak up the excess batter.

baked french toast.  

ingredients

2 baguettes french bread, sliced to 1 1/4 inch thickness & allowed to dry slightly (can be acheived more quickly by placing in a warm oven for a few minutes)

8 oz. block neufchatel cheese, softened

6 large eggs

1 1/2 cup milk

1 cup cream or half and half

1tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

topping:

1/3 cup softened butter

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup pecans or walnuts

1 tbsp light corn syrup

method

grease 9x13 baking dish with sides.  spread cheese on half the bread and arrange to fill dish in one layer.  add a second layer of bread on top (without cheese).

in a bowl, combine eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg.  mix well.

pour mixture over bread slices.  cover and refrigerate overnight

next morning- (this is the note on the original recipe given to me) - make sure you take the pan out of the fridge about 45 min before you cook it, otherwise it'll suck.

preheat oven to 350

in a bowl, combine butter, sugar, walnuts, and corn syrup, mixing well.

spread over bread slices (spreading is easier if topping [read: butter] is really soft, as bread will be soaked)

bake 40-45 min until puffed and golden.

delicious as-is, or can be served with maple syrup if you wish to achieve hyperglycemia.

thanks again to co-worker Jenn for sharing this amazing recipe!