Ina Garten

Barefoot Contessa Baked French Toast Casserole

8 months ago
Read Time: 3 minutes
by Emily
Leave a comment

The Baked French Toast Casserole from Barefoot Contessa is the ideal dish for breakfast or brunch that can be prepared in advance and will have your guests raving about it. The flavor profile of this scrumptious dish is reminiscent of traditional French toast, and it has a rich custard filling with a streusel topping for added texture. It is simple to make, and you can assemble it the night before.

The next morning, all you have to do is place it in the oven, and it will be ready. A comforting and delicious breakfast dish that is ideal for serving guests or enjoying on a lazy weekend morning at home by yourself.

More Recipes From us:

Joanna Gaines French Toast Casserole

Ina Garten Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecans
Breakfast Potato Casserole Pioneer Woman

💓 Why You’ll Love This Barefoot Contessa Baked French Toast Casserole

The Baked French Toast Casserole from Barefoot Contessa is fantastic for a variety of different reasons.

Because it is so simple to prepare and can be made in advance, it is an excellent choice for hectic mornings or large brunch groups. Besides, it is delicious.
Secondly, it’s a wonderful and luxurious take on the traditional French toast, with a texture similar to bread pudding that’s been infused with custard and cinnamon.
Last but not least, it is extremely adaptable and may be personalized with the addition of the toppings of your choice, such as fresh berries, whipped cream, or maple syrup.

What Is Barefoot Contessa Baked French Toast Casserole Recipe?

For a special occasion or weekend brunch, try Barefoot Contessa’s Baked French Toast Casserole. Standard preparation calls for slicing a loaf of French bread, putting the pieces in a baking dish, and then covering the bread with a custard mixture of eggs, milk, cream, and sugar. The next day, the dish is baked till golden and crispy on top to allow the bread to fully absorb the custard. It goes well with maple syrup and a side of fruit.

🍝 Ingredients

1 challah loaf, sliced 3/4 inch thick
8 extra-large eggs

2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Confectioners’ sugar and pure maple syrup, for serving

🔪How To Make Baked French Toast Casserole

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Arrange the bread slices in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish in two tightly-packed layers.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
Pour the mixture over the bread, making sure that all the bread is covered.

Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Remove the plastic wrap and bake the French toast for 45-50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the custard is set.
Let the French toast cool for a few minutes before serving with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup.

Why Is My French Toast Casserole Soggy?

Your French Toast Casserole could be soggy for a number of reasons, including the following:

An excessive amount of liquid: If you use an excessive amount of liquid in the custard mixture, it can make the bread too wet, which will result in a casserole that is soggy.
Inadequate soaking time: If you don’t let the bread soak in the custard mixture for a sufficient amount of time, it could not be able to absorb enough of the liquid, which will result in a casserole that is too wet.

Too recently baked bread: If you use freshly baked bread, it might not be able to absorb the custard mixture as well as day-old or stale bread, which will result in a casserole that is excessively wet.
Overcrowding the pan: If you overfill the pan with too much bread, the custard may not be able to cook uniformly throughout the entire dish, which may result in certain regions being soggy. This can be avoided by not overfilling the pan.

Be careful to use the correct quantity of liquid, let the bread soak for the proper period of time, use bread that is a little bit stale, and don’t overcrowd the pan. Failing to do any of these things will result in a French Toast Casserole that is watery.

💭Recipe Tips

The following are some helpful hints for cooking the Baked French Toast Casserole from Barefoot Contessa’s recipe:

Use stale bread: Fresh bread will not work as well as stale bread since fresh bread will not absorb the custard mixture as well as stale bread will.

Make the dish the night before: The casserole needs to be stored in the refrigerator for at least one night before it can be baked, so make sure to plan ahead.

Choose a baking dish that is deep: To avoid the custard mixture spilling out of the baking dish, make sure to use a baking dish that is deep.

Make sure to use real maple syrup: as this will give the dish a flavor that is more robust and delectable. The recipe calls for real maple syrup.

Put on your favorite toppings: You can serve the casserole with a number of toppings, such as fresh berries, whipped cream, or powdered sugar. You can even add your own favorite toppings.

Take careful not to overcook: The dish by keeping a close eye on the casserole while it bakes and taking it out of the oven as soon as the top is golden brown and the custard has reached the desired consistency.

Let it to cool before serving: in order to avoid getting your lips burned and to give the custard time to set. The dish needs to be allowed to chill for a few minutes before it is served.

🍴 What To Serve With Baked French Toast Casserole?

Baked French Toast Casserole can be served on its own as a breakfast or brunch dish, but it also goes well with some additional toppings or sides, such as:

Fruit Salad
Whipped cream or yogurt
Lemon Bars

Powdered sugar or cinnamon
Peach Ice Cream
Scrambled or fried eggs

Coffee or tea

You can also pair it with a side salad or some roasted vegetables to balance out the sweetness of the casserole.

🥶 How To Store Leftovers

The leftovers of the Barefoot Contessa Baked French Toast Casserole can be stored in a number of different ways, including the following:

Refrigerate: After the casserole has had ample time to cool off completely, wrap it securely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and place it in the refrigerator for up to three or four days.

Freeze: If you want to keep the casserole for a longer period of time, you can keep it frozen. When it has been baked and allowed to cool, carefully wrap the casserole in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and then place it in a container with a tight-fitting lid or a freezer bag. It is possible to keep it in the freezer for up to two to three months.

Individual servings: If you would rather have individual servings, simply cut the casserole into portions and place each one in a container with a tight-fitting lid or a freezer bag. Reheating and eating it later is facilitated as a result of this change.

Make sure to write the date on the labels of the containers so that you can keep track of the amount of time that the items have been stored.

🌡️ How To Reheat Leftovers

Reheating baked French toast casserole leftovers can be done in a few different ways, including the following:

Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Cover the casserole with aluminum foil before placing it in an oven-safe dish. Bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes, or until the food is thoroughly heated.

Microwave: Place a portion of the casserole on a plate that is safe for the microwave and cover it with a damp paper towel. Microwave the dish. Microwave on high for around one to two minutes, or until it has reached the desired temperature.
Toaster oven: Transfer a part of the casserole to a dish that is acceptable for use in a toaster oven and heat it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, or until it is completely hot.

When you serve the casserole, you should make sure that the temperature inside of it has been checked to confirm that it has been heated thoroughly.

FAQ Section

Should you dry out bread for French Toast Casserole?

In order to make French Toast Casserole, you should not at all dry out the bread. It is best if the bread is both fresh and slightly stale. After being cut into cubes, it should be steeped in the mixture of eggs and milk for at least one full night.

How Do You Keep Baked French Toast Casserole Crisp?

Be careful to bake a French toast casserole in a shallow dish so that air can circulate around the sides while it bakes. This will help the casserole maintain its crispiness during baking. It is also helpful to bake it without covering it, as doing so can lead the dish to become soggy. Covering it with foil or a lid can have this effect. Last but not least, after it has been removed from the oven, it should be served as quickly as possible.

Should Baked French Toast Casserole be thin or thick?

It is possible for the consistency of a Baked French Toast Casserole to change depending on personal choice as well as the recipe that is being followed. While some recipes call for a more runny casserole, others produce a dish with a more substantial, custard-like consistency. In the end, it all boils down to personal preference and the kind of texture that one is looking for.

Do You Cover French Toast Casserole While Baking?

The answer to that question is going to depend on the French Toast Casserole recipe that you use. While baking the casserole for the first time, some recipes call for covering it with foil to prevent the top from getting overly browned, while others don’t call for covering at all. It is highly recommended that you carry out your dish according to the exact steps outlined in the recipe that you have chosen.

Try More Recipes:

Pioneer Woman Hash Brown Egg Casserole

Pioneer Woman Egg Casserole
Pioneer Woman Pumpkin French Toast