Description
A cozy baked French toast made with challah, apple butter, pears, and pecans. Perfect for holiday brunch or make-ahead mornings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 loaf challah bread, sliced into 1 1/2-inch thick pieces
- 1 cup apple butter
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted and lightly browned
- 2 medium apples, thinly sliced
- 2 medium pears, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- Pinch of salt
- Cinnamon Maple Syrup: 1/2 cup maple syrup, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Maple Whipped Cream: 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 to 2 tablespoons cinnamon maple syrup, pinch of salt
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter.
- Slice challah almost in half horizontally, keeping the bottom intact, and spread apple butter inside.
- Whisk eggs, milk, vanilla, browned butter, and salt until smooth.
- Dip bread into custard for 1 minute and arrange upright in the dish.
- Toss apples and pears with brown sugar and cinnamon, then tuck between slices. Sprinkle pecans on top.
- Pour remaining custard over bread, cover, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Bake at 375°F covered for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake 20–25 minutes until golden and set.
- Simmer maple syrup with cinnamon sticks for 5 minutes, remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.
- Whip cream with syrup and salt to soft peaks.
- Serve warm with whipped cream and cinnamon maple syrup.
Notes
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Brunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 150mg