Monday, January 2, 2012

Overnight Caramel French Toast

HAPPY NEW YEAR
PIRATES & PRINCESSES FANS!
Thanks so much for following my little blog and liking me on facebook!  I know with working now that my blog has been on a little hiatus, but have I got a treat for you today!  Awhile back, we went down to southern Illinois to visit my hubby's grandma.  While we were there, his grandma's friend, Charlene, invited us over to her lovely house for breakfast and let me just tell you... it was a SPREAD!  Everything was delicious and why wouldn't it be when Charlene used to own and operate her own little successful restaurant???  One item on the menu was this Overnight Caramel French Toast.  De-Lish.  (And is it caramel or carmel... is there really a difference?  Kinda like tomato-tomatoe??) I guess it doesn't really matter how you say it, because it is amazing!  I finally got a chance to make it this weekend down at my aunt's house in Kentucky for all my family, and it was a hit!  

So, here it is all Pre-Powdered Sugared Up...
 


And then another glimpse with the powdered sugar.

If you LOVE bread pudding, you will LOVE this french toast.  If you don't like that consistency that bread pudding has, well, you will still like this recipe, just eat the top slice of bread rather than a bottom slice!  It was really easy to throw together, and best part, you can make it the night before and just pop it in the oven in the morning.  And, no syrup required for this toast, it's caramel-gooey yumminess takes care of the usual syrup requirement!  Now, those of you starting diets to keep in line with your New Year's resolutions... may want to just drool over the photos, not exactly dieter friendly...unless of course you are going to do a little working out that afternoon!  
You should totally GO FOR IT!

Overnight Caramel French Toast
Ingredients:
Caramel Sauce:
1 stick of butter
1 C. brown sugar
2 Tbsp light karo syrup

Loaf of French bread (next time I might try sourdough, or you could even use Texas toast) cut into 12 slices
1/4 C. sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
6 eggs
1 1/2 C milk
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 C sugar

Grease 9X13 pan.  In a saucepan, bring butter, karo syrup, and brown sugar to a boil and then pour into 9X13 pan.  (I doubled this caramel sauce, but I may try it next time without doing that since I'm not a HUGE mushy bread fan, even though it was good)  Top with 6 slices of bread.  Mix the 1/4 C. sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon and sprinkle on top of bread, reserving some to top on remaining 6 slices.  Put remaining bread slices on top and sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar.  Mix up the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar and pour over the top of the bread.  Cover and pop it in the fridge overnight.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.  Sprinkle powdered sugar on top before serving.