Baked French Toast With Macadamia Nuts, I’ll take it any way I can get it. What appeals to me is it sweetness along with the cinnamon and that magic crunch from the roasted nuts. The inspiration came from the discount rack at the store, $.99 for a load of day old bread. Add some milk (whole,) eggs, and sugar, a splendid breakfast for a crowd is born.
This version of baked French Toast is a ‘keeper’ due to its butter/sugar/nut/spice coating before the oven. A thick layer is slathered on after the soaked bread comes out of its refrigerator 12 hour hibernation. After it bakes, a crispy sugary crust appears. Oh La La.
I had a few extra slices of bread, individual baked french toast with macadamia nuts was the result. Each child had one to call their very own.
Don’t forget to heat up your maple syrup. Now, where did I set down my coffee?
- 1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
- 8 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Dash salt
- Macadamia Nut Topping:
- ½ pound (2 sticks) butter
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.
- Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each.
- Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly.
- Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture.Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spread Macadamia Nut Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.