Baked Pumpkin Orange French Toast

OK so here's the deal. I was on my own last night for dinner and without an audience and no pressing need to cook I didn't ...so I thought I'd tell you about this version of french toast I whipped up for Sunday's brunch instead. Hey, even JBug needs a night (or two) off every now and then. 

A take on the baked stuffed french toast we enjoyed while on vacation, this one started out the same but ended up being quite different because I didn't have a nice crunchy loaf of day old French bread to work with. Did I let that stop me - oh heck no!

I used nice thick cut slices of Texas toast instead and left out the stuffing exercise, which may have turned it to mush because of the softer texture of the bread. Dipped in a flavor filled custard concocted of pumpkin puree, spices, eggs, sugar, orange juice and yogurt because I didn't have any cream, the saturated bread hit a baking dish on top of a layer of melted butter, sugar and cinnamon. 

Twenty five minutes later, it came out of the oven all puffed and golden outside and fluffy and moist inside. As you see, when flipped out onto a plate butter/sugar layer on the pan becomes a golden and crunchy utterly delicous caramel topping on the "pain perdue".  Believe me, it tasted really wonderful with a subtle hint of pumpkin spice and touch of orange. 

Big Guy had his serving with maple syrup and I enjoyed mine with a dab of homemade tangelo/kumquat marmalade, not that it really needs anything except a fork. I can't wait to make it again.

Baked Stuffed Orange French Toast (Adapted from Jackson Hole Cooks and Best of the Best of Arizona Cookbooks)

4 tablespoons melted butter

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Grated rind of 1 orange

6 slices Texas Toast or better yet, day old French Bread

5 eggs

1 cup orange juice

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt 

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 teaspoon each, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg

Orange marmalade and/or maple syrup

Melt butter and pour into 9 x 13 baking dish. Combine sugar, cinnamon, salt and orange rind. Sprinkle evenly onto bottom of dish.

In a large bowl whisk together eggs, orange juice, pumpkin, spices and yogurt. Dip each slice of bread into mixture, being sure to cover both sides and arrange in prepared baking pan. Pour any remaining egg mixture over the bread. Refrigerate for minimum 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400. Bake for 20 minutes or until puffy and golden brown. To serve, flip bottom side up onto a warm plate or platter. Serve with marmalade or syrup. Makes 6 servings.

A year ago - Paprika Chicken with Dumplings 

Two year's ago - Spiced Chicken with Rice

Comments

[Lea]

Wow! That looks too good to eat!

[June]

Thanks Lea. It is a little like the pumpkin bread pudding on this site only much quicker to make so darn near instantly gratifying. LOL

[Lorraine]

Yum Yum Yum. You can make french toast for me any day of the week. What a great fall season breakfast!

[June]

Thanks Lorraine. Would love to comply.