Baked French Toast with Apples
This naturally sweetened recipe for baked French toast pairs buttery Brioche bread with cinnamon-laced Granny Smith apples, cream cheese, and toasted walnuts.
Ingredients
For the prune puree
- 16 ounces prunes
- 1/2 cup hot water
For the apple filling
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup prune puree
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- juice of half a small lemon
- 4 large Granny Smith apples peeled, cores removed, and thinly sliced
For the baked French toast
- 5 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons prune puree
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt heaped
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- One pound sliced Brioche bread
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 ounces cream cheese cubed into small pieces
To serve
- Confectioner's sugar and/or maple syrup optional
Instructions
To make prune puree
- Combine the prunes and water in a blender. Pulse to combine, then blend until a smooth, pourable consistency forms, scraping the sides if necessary.
To make the apple filling
- In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the prune puree, maple, cinnamon, and lemon juice to the pan and whisk until combined and bubbling.
- Add the apple slices and cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are softened and any syrup that has formed is very thick. About 7-8 minutes. Once cooked through, set aside to cool slightly.
To assemble the Baked French Toast
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously butter a 9 x 13-inch or 3-quart baking dish. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the eggs, prune puree, maple, vanilla extract, and salt. Once completely combined add the milk and whisk until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Dip each slice of bread into the custard mixture for about 5 seconds, then arrange in an overlapping pattern in the prepared baking dish. Once all of the slices have been soaked in custard, pour any remaining custard over the slices of bread in the baking dish.
- Fill in between the slices of bread with the cooked apples then sprinkle with chopped walnuts and cream cheese.
- Wrap in aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- Dust with confectioner's sugar right before serving if desired. Serve with maple syrup.
Notes
To prep this recipe for Baked French Toast with Apples in advance:
Follow the instructions all the way through assembling the French toast in the pan with the cooked apples, walnuts, and cream cheese. Wrap tightly with aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator overnight.
Before baking the next morning, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before placing it in the oven. Follow cooking instructions as written.
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