Panettone Baked French Toast

The other half of our loaf of panettone became holiday French toast—the make-ahead and bake in the oven variety. It was a variation of my sister's recipe —Marla's Overnight Baked French Toast.
(We made Panettone Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Sauce with the other half.)

Panettone Baked French Toast   About 4-6 servings

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1cup half-and-half or whole milk 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 loaf panettone bread, cut into thick triangles

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped pecans

1.  In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, sugar, nutmeg, half & half, and vanilla; stir well. 

2.  Fit bread slices in a single layer into a large baking dish.  

3.  Pour egg mixture over bread slices and turn bread to make sure that slices are completely covered with the egg mixture. Let mixture set long enough to absorb liquid or, cover and refrigerate overnight. 

Egg mixture has just been added to the bread.

Next morning, most of the liquid has been absorbed.

4.  When ready to bake, pour melted butter into a jelly roll pan; place bread slices in a single layer.  

To melt the butter, I put it on the baking tray and insert into preheated oven, and watch CLOSELY. Doing it this way means one less dish to wash!

5.  Bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Then turn toast triangles and sprinkle with nuts; bake another 10 minutes.  

Recipe without photos . . .

Panettone Baked French Toast   About 4-6 servings

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1cup half-and-half or whole milk 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 loaf panettone bread, cut into thick triangles

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped pecans

1.  In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, sugar, nutmeg, half & half, and vanilla; stir well. 

2.  Fit bread slices in a single layer into a large baking dish.  

3.  Pour egg mixture over bread slices and turn bread to make sure that slices are completely covered with the egg mixture. Let mixture set long enough to absorb liquid or, cover and refrigerate overnight. 

4.  When ready to bake, pour melted butter into a jelly roll pan; place bread slices in a single layer.  

5.  Bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Then turn toast triangles and sprinkle with nuts; bake another 10 minutes. 

Panettone Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Syrup

We received a loaf of panettone as a gift. This Italian sweet bread is traditionally served during Christmas and New Year's Day. It's a fluffy sweet bread studded with candied fruit — great for bread pudding and French toast. So, I decided to cut the loaf in half and experiment with recipes for both.

Here’s the first, which is a variation of a recipe made by Giada DeLaurentis . . .   
(We used the rest to make Panettone French Toast.) 

Panettone Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Syrup   

Bread Pudding

Butter

½ of a 1-pound loaf panettone bread, bread cut into 1-inch cubes

4 large eggs

¾ cup whipping cream

1¼  cups whole milk

½ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons dark rum, optional

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ to ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Lightly butter 8 ramekins or custard cups. Arrange the bread cubes in prepared dish.
   
2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, milk, and sugar to blend. Pour the custard over the bread cubes, and press the bread cubes gently to submerge.
   
   
   
3. Let stand for 30 minutes, occasionally pressing the bread cubes into the custard mixture. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
4. Preheat the oven to 350°.
5. Arrange filled ramekins into a larger pan—they should not be touching each other or the sides of the pan.
6. Pour boiling water into the pan, being careful not to get water into the bread pudding.  (I prefer to do this once I’ve put the pan full of ramekins into the oven.) Note: This is a water bath and will ensure that the bread pudding cooks evenly without drying out.
   
7. Bake until the pudding puffs and is set in the center, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool slightly. 
8. To serve, drizzle with the warm Cinnamon Syrup. Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream is also a nice topping for these desserts.
   

Cinnamon Syrup

This syrup can be made 1 day ahead.

1 cup water

1 cup packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons whipping cream

1. Combine water and brown sugar in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
2. Boil until the syrup reduces to 1 cup, about 10 minutes.

   

   Reduced Cinnamon Syrup.

3. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream and cinnamon.
4. Keep the syrup warm or rewarm before serving. If not using immediately—cool, then cover and refrigerate.

Recipe without photos . . .

Panettone Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Syrup   

Bread Pudding 

Butter 

½ of a 1-pound loaf panettone bread, bread cut into 1-inch cubes 

4 large eggs 

¾ cup whipping cream 

1¼  cups whole milk 

½ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 

2 tablespoons dark rum, optional

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ to ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Lightly butter 8 ramekins or custard cups. Arrange the bread cubes in prepared dish.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, milk, and sugar to blend. Pour the custard over the bread cubes, and press the bread cubes gently to submerge.
3. Let stand for 30 minutes, occasionally pressing the bread cubes into the custard mixture. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
4. Preheat the oven to 350°.
5. Arrange filled ramekins into a larger pan—they should not be touching each other or the sides of the pan.
6. Pour boiling water into the pan, being careful not to get water into the bread pudding.  (I prefer to do this once I’ve put the pan full of ramekins into the oven.) Note: This is a water bath and will ensure that the bread pudding cooks evenly without drying out
7. Bake until the pudding puffs and is set in the center, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool slightly. 
8. To serve, drizzle with the warm Cinnamon Syrup. Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream is also a nice topping for these desserts.

Cinnamon Syrup 

This syrup can be made 1 day ahead.

1 cup water 

1 cup packed brown sugar  
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 

2 tablespoons whipping cream

1. Combine water and brown sugar in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
2. Boil until the syrup reduces to 1 cup, about 10 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream and cinnamon.
4. Keep the syrup warm or rewarm before serving. If not using immediately—cool, then cover and refrigerate.