Baked Loaf French Toast
Ingredients:
- artisanal bread with a substantial crust, (your favorite recipe) - 20 ounce round loaf
- cinnamon - 2 tsp
- pecan pieces - 3/4 cup
- eggs - 10
- milk - 2 1/2 cups
- sugar - 2 cups
- vanilla extract - 1 T
Instructions:
Slice loaf in half horizontally
In a bowl, just the size of the loaf of bread, whisk together eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla. Pour half of this mixture into another bowl of the same size.
Place one half of bread into each bowl, cut side is up. Place a plate, then a heavy object on top of the bread to push it into the egg mixture. (Egg mixture should slightly cover bread.) Place in refrigerator for 12 hours.
Remove from refrigerator, turn bread over. Replace plate and the heavy object on top of the bread to push it into the egg mixture. Return to the refrigerator for 12 hours or until most of the egg mixture has been absorbed into the bread.
Place bottom half of bread into a 13 x 10 inch baking pan. Sprinkle pecans and cinnamon over bread half. Carefully place top half of the loaf (cut side down) on pecans. Pour any remaining egg mixture over the top of the bread. Cover pan with foil. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours.
Insert a instant read thermometer into the bread, when thermometer reads 160 degrees, remove foil, continue baking for another 30 minutes. Retest again, when thermometer reads 200 degrees, remove from oven.
Serve immediately, cut into wedges, serve with warm maple syrup.
