oven baked apple french toast

We love our Sunday brunch and it's often french toast that I make.  Usually I make it with sprouted whole grain bread, but sometimes it's nice to make it extra fancy.  This is definitely a fancy french toast recipe, but it is also so easy!  Like ridiculously easy.  And don't even get me started on the baked apples on top!  Genius!  I found a recipe I liked here, but I made a few changes like cutting down the sugar, eggs and using buttermilk instead of regular milk.  It is sweet enough with the apples and I love using buttermilk any chance I get.  An added bonus is that it tastes great cold, so save those leftovers! 

*recipe #10 in my 52 recipe challenge

*prepare this the night before and pop in the oven when you wake up

Oven Baked Apple French Toast

1 large loaf fresh calabrese or french bread

6 eggs

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 tbsp vanilla

1/3 cup raw sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

2-3 large apples, peeled and sliced

1/4 cup butter, melted

 2 tbsps brown sugar

Directions:

1. Line a 9x13 pan with parchement paper and set aside.
2. Beat the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, and cinnamon together.
3. Slice your loaf of bread into 1 1/4" thick slices.  
4. Pour 1/2 the egg mixture over the bread.
5. Place the slices of apple on top of the bread.
6. Pour the rest of the egg mixture over the bread.
7. Melt the butter and pour over the apples.
8. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top.
9. Cover and refigerate overnight.
10. In the morning, preheat your oven to 350.
11. Remove your french toast from the fridge and bake for 1 hour. 
12. Serve warm with pure maple syrup or enjoy it plain.  Both ways taste good!