Crème Brulée French Toast

(French Toast)

Fabulously rich and oh-so simple. Prepare this overnight casserole dish the night before and simply pop it in the oven 45 minutes before your guests awake and you will be the star of the weekend. Serve buffet style alongside fresh fruit salad, scrambled eggs, savory sausage and strong coffee! If there are left-overs, they are equally as delicious the next day. Super recipe to take to the cottage.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup	Butter	75 mL
3/4 cup	packed brown sugar	175 mL
2 tbsp	corn syrup	30 mL
5	eggs
1 cup	35% whipping Cream	250 mL
1/4 cup	Milk	50 mL
1 tbsp	Grand Marnier or orange juice	15 mL
1 tsp	pure vanilla	5 mL
1/2 tsp	salt	2 mL
12 slices	stale raisin bread, cut in half

Instructions:

In a small saucepan or microwave, melt Butter with brown sugar and corn syrup, cook until sugar begins to dissolve. Stir until smooth. Pour into 13 x 9-inch (3.5 L) glass baking dish, chill until hard.

In medium bowl, whisk eggs, Cream, Milk, Grand Marnier, vanilla and salt.

Place half of the bread slices in a single layer over the chilled topping, and pour custard mixture over bread until just covered. Add another layer of bread slices, top with remaining custard. Cover and refrigerate on a flat surface overnight (8-12 hours).

Preheat oven to 325F (160C). Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown and firm in centre to touch and centre piece is not shiny.

Run a knife along outside edges to release, let stand 5 minutes. Turn out onto serving platter, careful not to lose any of the syrup. Serve immediately.

Credit: Dairy Farmers of Canada (www.dairygoodness.ca)