Challah At Me. Challah Back. Challah Atcha Girl. Challah At This Recipe. Just Challah Won't Chu.
Challah gets a new phrase: Challah French Toast Casserole. No more one hit wonder, one-at-a-time nonsense, flipping each individual slice of french toast. I'm making it way easier for you. Slice the whole loaf, let it marinate overnight in a yummy egg-milk mixture flavored with cinnamon and cardamom, top with some sugar butter love, bake it up for 35 or so minutes, and you have yourself a hassle-free beautiful brunch, baby. Take a forkful of the gooey-yumminess and you can thank me later, or just leave me a pretty little comment down below.
Here we go!
Slice bread into 1-inch thick pieces, about 24 slices. Generously butter a 9-by-13 inch baking dish and arrange slices in a row, overlapping if needed filling the entirety of the dish.
Cook's Note: Depending on the dish you use will determine how many challahs you will need to fill the entire dish up, either 1 1/2 or 2! (If you have leftover challah, you can make more french toast the next day, use it for a sandwich, or freeze it till the next time you want to eat challah).
In a large bowl, whisk half and half, milk, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt together until combined but not too bubbly.Pour or use a laddle to evenly cover the egg-milk mixture over the bread slices and then spoon some of the mixture in between slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
About eight hours later or the next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the topping. In a small bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and walnuts. Dollop and spread topping evenly over the bread.
Bake for about 35-40 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling. Serve with maple syrup.
Challah French Toast Casserole
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Inactive Time: 8 hours (overnight)
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 8 hours and 45 minutes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 to 2 challah loaves (about 30 ounces)
1 cup half and half
2 cups milk
8 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon salt
Topping:
6 tablespoons butter, softened
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Directions:
Slice bread into 1-inch thick pieces, about 24 slices. Generously butter a 3-quart or 9-by-13 inch baking dish and arrange slices in a row, overlapping if needed filling the entirety of the dish. In a large bowl, whisk half and half, milk, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt together until combined but not too bubbly. Pour or use a laddle to evenly cover the egg-milk mixture over the bread slices and then spoon some of the mixture in between slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
Eight hours later or the next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the topping. In a small bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and walnuts. Dollop and spread topping evenly over the bread. Bake for about 35-40 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling. Serve with maple syrup.
*Cook's Note: Depending on the dish you use will determine how many challahs you will need to fill the entire dish up! (If you have leftover challah, you can make more french toast the next day, use it for a sandwich, or freeze it till the next time you want to eat challah).