Welcome to the Barefoot Contessa Baked French Toast Casserole recipe! This tasty and easy breakfast dish is perfect for weekend mornings and is sure to become a family favorite. Not only is it packed with nutrients, but it also uses honey as a natural sweetener.
While it may seem intimidating at first, this recipe is actually quite simple and can be made quickly with readily available ingredients. So why wait? Let’s get cooking and create a delicious and nutritious breakfast that everyone will love!
How to Prepare Barefoot Contessa French Toast Casserole
Barefoot Contessa Baked French Toast Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 loaf of challah bread If you can only use nomral bread see the notes below the recipe
- 8 eggs (large in size)
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
- 5 cups of milk
- 3 tbsp. of honey
- 1 tbsp. orange zest (grated)
- ¼ tbsp. salt
Instructions
- Ensure you have all the ingredients, then preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Slice the challah loaf into slices of ¾ inch thickness. Arrange the sliced pieces in a 9 by 13 by 2 inches baking dish. Make sure to arrange the challah slices in two layers.
- Whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla extract, honey, salt, and orange zest. Pour the mixture over the bread and leave to soak for about 10 minutes.
- Take a large roasting pan and fill it with enough water. Place the baking dish that has the bread mixture in the roasting pan and cover it firmly with aluminum foil. Make a few slashes into the aluminum foil, where steam will come out as you cook.
- Put in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and set it aside to cool slightly.
- After cooling, dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar and serve with maple syrup.
Tips and tricks for a Perfect Barefoot Contessa Recipe
Everyone yearns for their French toast to have a crunchy crust but a soft and yummy inside. For your convenience, below are a few tips we’ve gathered while making this dish to help you get an enticing French toast casserole every time.
- If using fresh bread, allow it to harden first. Leave it in the open air to dry for at least one whole day, if not more. Dry bread holds up the egg mixture better than a soft, fresh slice, thus giving you a more flavorful and crunchy French toast.
- Always allow the bread slices to sit in the egg mixture for enough time. The more time you give it, the better the results. You can even leave it overnight in the fridge for a frothy and smooth mix.
- You can use a crunchy topping like breadcrumbs or shredded coconut to make a nice crust on your toast. Press the topping on both sides of the bread to imitate a breading and cook into a chewy, crispy, and golden brown exterior.
- Use challah bread for the best results. It is the most reliable bread that guarantees a perfectly crisp exterior and soft inside.
- If you have more time and energy, use both the stove and oven. Toast the ducked bread slices in a skillet until both sides a golden brown, then put on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until the bread puffs. The egg mixture will continue to cook and penetrate the bread giving it a sweet and soft interior.
- Cover the skillet with a lid after flipping the bread if you don’t want to transfer it into the oven. Doing this will cause the bread to puff up and get amazing French toast.
- You can use either orange zest or lime zest. Both add a fantastic fruity flavor to your French toast. Make sure to rinse the fruit first before grating off the zest.
- Device other options of toppings you can use. Top it up with mascarpone, brie, caramelized pears or peaches, fresh raspberries, strawberry, or bananas. Make cooking your French toast fun by experimenting with these and more.
Does it matter what bread I buy for Barefoot Contessa baked French toast casserole?
We recommend challah bread because of its rich, tender texture and slightly sweet flavor. The egg-rich dough creates a soft and moist interior, while the braided shape adds a visually appealing crust on the outside. Additionally, the denser texture of challah bread means it won’t fall apart or become soggy as easily as some other types of bread when it’s baked in a casserole.
You can use normal bread but you need to leave it out for a day so the air dries it out. This will help it hold up better to the egg mixture used in the recipe and result in a more flavorful and crunchy French toast. Using dry bread allows it to better absorb the liquid and spices, resulting in a more cohesive and delicious final product.
If you don’t have any bread at all try the Barefoot Contessa Biscotti Recipe instead.
Nutritional Information
Per 1 serving
- Calories: 437 kcal
- Calories from fat: 177 kcal
- Total fat: 20 grams
- Saturated fat: 11 grams
- Trans fat: 0.6 grams
- Polyunsaturated fat: 1.7 grams
- Monounsaturated fat: 5.6 grams
- Cholesterol: 217 milligrams
- Sodium: 410 milligrams
- Potassium: 266 milligrams
- Carbohydrates: 54 grams
- Fiber: 0.7 grams
- Sugars: 34 grams
- Protein: 12 grams
- Vitamin A: 1.7 IU
- Vitamin C: 0.8 IU
- Calcium: 11 grams
Conclusion
Ina Garten
In conclusion, preparing Barefoot Contessa Baked French Toast Casserole may seem like a day-long task, but with the right ingredients on hand, it can actually be ready within just an hour. This delicious and nutritious dish is sure to satisfy with its flavorful and filling qualities. And with its easy and fast preparation, you’ll likely want to make it again and again. So why wait? Gather your ingredients and give this recipe a try.
