Fruity French Toast Casserole

A baked version of French toast with your favorite fruit. Ready in about an hour!

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Makes: 8 Cups

Ingredients

8 cups bread cubes; try whole-grain bread

2 cups sliced or chopped fruit, fresh, frozen, or canned and drained

4 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup lowfat milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup margarine or butter, softened

¼ cup sugar

½ cup flour, all-purpose or whole-wheat

Wash hands with soap and water.
Rinse or scrub fresh fruits under running water before preparing.
Lightly oil an 8x8-inch baking dish or 2-quart casserole. Add bread cubes and fruit.
In a medium bowl, blend eggs, milk, vanilla and sugar. Pour over bread and fruit. Stir gently to wet all bread with egg mixture. Wash hands after handling raw eggs.
Cover and refrigerate until all liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes or overnight.
Just before baking, remove casserole from refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the topping: In a small bowl, combine the softened margarine, sugar, and flour with a fork until crumbly.
Uncover the casserole and sprinkle topping over fruit. Bake until completely set and starting to brown, about 35 to 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F on a food thermometer. A longer baking time is needed when the dish is chilled overnight. Serve warm.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Notes:

This is a great recipe for using up extra bread.

For the fruit, try peaches, pears, berries or diced apples.
Lightly sprinkle with cinnamon or other spices such as nutmeg, ground cloves, allspice or cardamom at the end of step 2.
Try topping with a spoonful of yogurt when serving.

Want to learn more about this topic? Explore more resources from OSU Extension: Recipes