Whip up this baked apple French toast for your next holiday brunch—it’s a heavenly blend of French toast and apple pie that’s sure to become a family favorite.
Servings: 8
Prep Time:15 Minutes
Cook Time:55 Minutes
Total Time:1 Hour 10 Minutes
Ingredients
For the French Toast
One 1-lb challah or raisin challah
5 large eggs
1½ cupshalf & half
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons bourbon (optional; replace with apple cider or half-&-half if desired)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Apple Topping
4 tablespoonsunsalted butter
4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
¼ cup + 2 tablespoonspacked dark brown sugar
6 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For Serving
Confectioners' sugar and/or maple syrup
Instructions
For the French Toast
Butter a 9 x 13-inch or 3-QT baking dish. Slice the bread into ¾-inch-thick slices.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half & half, maple syrup, bourbon, vanilla, and salt.
Dip each slice of challah into the custard mixture for about 5 seconds, then arrange in an overlapping pattern in the prepared baking dish. Be sure the entire bottom of the dish is covered with the bread. Pour any remaining custard over the bread. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes more. Remove from the oven and, using a fine sieve, dust with the confectioners' sugar. Serve with maple syrup.