Easter with Brioche French Toast Casserole

We ended up hosting Easter Brunch this year and decided to make it a potluck affair (less work for the host ;). So you know what that means, hours and hours spent on Pinterest looking up some great brunch recipes to tweak to make my own. I can never follow an original recipe without adding or subtracting something to it.

I am a sucker for a great French Toast Casserole recipe. One, because its easy to make and you can prepare it the night before and Two, it ends up tasting so delicious! This one was no exception!

Brioche French Toast

Brioche French Toast Casserole

Ingredients

Casserole:

• 1 loaf of Brioche Bread, cubed

• 8 large eggs

• 3 cups of whole milk

• 2 tablespoons Morena Pure Cane Sugar

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping:

• 2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

• 4 tablespoons Morena Pure Cane Sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Maple Syrup for serving

Directions:

1. Spray a 9x13-inch glass baking dish (or similar casserole dish) with nonstick spray.  Sprinkle the bread cubes in the prepared pan.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and salt.  Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes.  Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic down against the bread cubes to soak them in the egg mixture.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

3. Remove the pan from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to baking. This allows the casserole to get closer to room temperature.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

4. Remove the plastic wrap and toss. Sprinkle the butter pieces evenly over the casserole.  Combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle that evenly over the top of the casserole.

5. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes. The casserole will start to puff up but it will settle down once you remove it from the oven and it begins to cool.  Serve with warm maple syrup and enjoy.