Baked French Toast

I have been making this recipe for years. It's my go-to for brunch, as you prepare it the night before. It feeds an army, and you can change it up-add cinnamon, raisins, fruit, use challah or raisin bread. It tastes great microwaved as leftovers too.

Baked French Toast, Angel of the Sea, Cape May, NJ

Ingredients

1 loaf firm bread

8 ounces cream cheese

1/4 cup maple syrup

10 eggs

1-1/2 cups half & half

8 Tablespoons melted butter

Cube bread and layer half in a 13 x 9-inch pan. Cut the cream cheese into small pieces and scatter it across the bread. Cover with remaining bread cubes. Mix the eggs, half & half, syrup, and melted butter together. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes. Press the bread cubes down to absorb the mixture. Refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes. Serve with syrup, jelly, or powdered sugar.

Serves: 6

Notes: It feeds more than 6, unless they are ravenous. I have found that it requires more than one loaf of bread if you are using Pepperidge Farm or the like. It puffs up in the pan-make sure your pan is deep, and use a sheet pan underneath just in case.