Well, I missed National French Toast Day (it was November 28th!). Figures … I mean who makes up these obscure holidays anyway? While I find it somewhat amusing, I also need to give myself some grace and know that although I may not meet the “deadline” to post on a particular day but it can be a great jumping off point for ideas and flavors.
Like this amazing Spicy Mandarin French Toast Casserole that I intended to post on Monday, the actual National French Toast Day, but didn’t get to until today. This is an overnight French Toast Casserole which makes it perfect for Christmas morning, or New Year’s morning or how about a lazy Saturday morning during the dead of winter?
The flavors are winter citrus and warming cinnamon. Topped with maple butter, this dense, chewy casserole is comfort food at its finest. It takes only minutes to prepare, easy enough to do on a Friday or Saturday evening for the next morning.
A couple notes:
• I am a big fan of Udi’s gluten-free bread. That’s what I used here. It’s hearty, whole grain and feels like a good artisan bread.
• I always use ORGANIC sweetened condensed milk. Milk is one of those products where chemicals hide. rBST is a drug given to cows to produce more milk unnaturally. Organic standards do not allow drugs or antibiotics to be used.
• Pastured eggs – While of course, it’s not necessary, I am a big fan of the higher nutrition of pastured eggs. Your foods will all be a little more yellow from the darker yolk color, reflecting the higher levels of nutrients inherent in eggs from chickens eating grass and bugs.
• When the French Toast casserole is in the oven, I mix up equal amounts of butter and maple syrup with some cinnamon to drizzle on top before serving. This would also be great served with some fresh, whipped cream.
- ¾ loaf of Udi’s Whole Grain, gluten-free bread (long loaf available in select grocery stores and at Costco)
- 1, 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk (organic, if possible)
- 6 large, pastured eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 Tbls. fresh orange zest or ½ T. dried orange peel
- 1 tsp. cinnamon + more to sprinkle on top and for maple butter
- ⅛ tsp. ground cloves
- 2-3 mandarin (clementine) oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds
- Cane sugar to sprinkle on top
- Cut bread into cubes and put into a large bowl.
- Combine condensed milk, eggs, cream, orange peel and spices, beat well.
- Pour over bread cubes and stir to coat all cubes thoroughly.
- Pour bread cube mixture into a 9 x 13 casserole dish lightly coated with oil spray.
- Tuck the orange rounds into the bread cubes at random intervals.
- Sprinkle with cane sugar.
- Cover and put in the refrigerator overnight or up to two days.
- When you're ready to bake, remove from refrigerator and allow to sit on the counter for 30 minutes while you heat the oven to 375˚.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until bread is toasted on top and mixture is solid.
- Serve with maple butter drizzled on top.