Santa came to our house a day early when I was growing up. Mom said it was because he knew we drove to my grandmother’s farm on Christmas Eve day so he stopped at our place first, ensuring the presents were ready and waiting on the morning of December 24.
We’d wake up early, collecting stockings from the staircase on our way down to the tree, eat baked french toast for breakfast, pack, pile into the car and for the next 8 hours — over the river and through the woods, obviously — to grandmother’s house we’d go.
Memories are a strange thing though, they get stirred and shaken though life. Whisked together into the best (or sometimes worst) versions of themselves.
Take for example my vivid memories of Baked French Toast on Christmas morning. It’s there, clear as day, however on closer examination I can only ever remember two specific mornings where a tray of baked French toast was present — and I was the one who made it in my mothers kitchen indicating I was well into adulthood, or at the very least my late teens.
So where does the memory come from? I think in this case it’s fuelled by some kind of Christmas morning meal that must have existed, French Toast on Easter morning (although that may have been waffles…), and a sprinkling of plenty of breakfast for dinner meals growing up.
A pinch of each aforementioned memory, as well as a very vivid recollection of the yeast-dough peach cake that would accompany us up to the farm for Christmas Day, have all been rolled together into a big-ol French Toast Casserole concoction. The fact that in the Southern Hemisphere Christmas falls in summer, and summer, no matter where you are means fruit, is simply a happy coincidence.
The fact that I’ve created a breakfast recipe as part of a virtual Christmas lunch party should not surprise you much – ha! You can see what everyone else has been up to below the recipe.
The sticky, almost bruleed almond streusel topping and heavy-handed glug of Amaretto are my early Christmas gift to you.
Nectarine Almond Streusel French Toast Bake
French toast without the skillet, sandwiched with sweet nectarines, covered in crunchy, sticky almonds, baked while you open gifts. Now that’s a Christmas surprise if I’ve ever seen one.
In theory you could make this up the night before, let it spend the night in the fridge to soak and bake in the morning, it may however need an extra 10-15 mins to counteract the fact that it’s starting off far colder from the fridge than otherwise.
Serves 8 (or 6 or 10, it’s up to you)
INGREDIENTS
- 4 nectarines, see notes for alternatives
- 5 x 1 cm slices from a sourdough round (approx 350g)
- 6 eggs
- 1 c almond milk
- ½ c coconut milk (or more almond milk)
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup (optional)
- 1 Tbsp amaretto liquor (or 1 tsp almond extract)
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Streusel topping:
- ¼ c rolled oats
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- ½ c flaked (sliced) almonds
- ¼ tsp ginger
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
- pinch sea salt
METHOD
Cut nectarines into quarters, and each quarter into five slices and lightly oil a 6 cup (18 oz, 1.5 ltr) baking dish. Place a slice of bread into the far end of the dish and cover with a generous layer of fruit. Repeat with remaining bread and fruit to fill dish.
Whisk eggs, milks, vanilla, syrup, amaretto, spices and salt in a large jug. Slowly pour over layered bread. Place a tray on top of the french toast bake and weigh down with a couple of cans for 15 mins while the oven preheats to 180°C (350°F).
To prepare streusel topping combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Add oil and toss to combine well. Remove tray and weights from pan , sprinkle over streusel and bake 50-55 mins until golden and firm.
Cool on a rack at least 15 mins before cutting to allow the casserole to set. Serve with coconut yoghurt, ricotta, creme fraiche, coconut cream, natural yoghurt, or nothing at all.
COOK’S NOTES
- Fruit: Nectarines can be replaced with peaches, mangos, plums, cherries or berries in summer. In autumn and winter use pears – or apples that have been cooked in a saucepan for 5 minutes with a good splash of water before layering with the bread.
- Assembly: To layer the french toast I cut one of the slices of bread in half long ways, then use one of the halves as the first piece I place in the dish, laying it flat on the base and butted up to the far edge of the pan. Layer remaining bread on an angle — not quite laying down but not quite standing up, with the other half of the first slice on the end.
- Sourdough: I used a spelt sourdough, stale bread will soak up more of the custard but with sourdough I find fresh is nicer. If your sourdough is a long loaf instead of a round boulle simply use more slices of bread to fill the pan.
vegetarian // gluten-free with gf bread // dairy-free // soy-free
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This recipe is part of a Virtual Christmas Lunch Party with some other Aussie Food Bloggers. Not surprisingly most of the shared recipes are dessert — not too far off any bring-a-plate gathering we tend to have in person — ha! Thanks to Bec for organising, and make sure to check out the other recipes for a good dose of holiday table inspiration.
- Dancing Through Sunday — Vegetarian Stuffing Balls
- Champagne and Chips — Ice Cream Terrine
- The Alimental Sage — Festive Summer Salad
- The Brick Kitchen — Passionfruit Raspberry Pavlova Ice Cream
- Whats for Eats — Sugar Crunch Cookies
I am so the same! I have memories of french toast bakes and Christmas morning brioche, but think I have only made those for the last 3-4 years (and it was only me who made them haha!). Will be continuing that this year though, and I love the sound of your french toast – nectarine and almond is such a summery combination. Making it the night before would be awesome to as a way to spend less time in the kitchen the night before and still have a gorgeous homemade brunch <3
It’s amazing how that happens 😉 If you make it the night before put the pan in the oven, then turn on so it warms as the oven preheats for 15 mins, then bake 50 – 60 once it reaches temp!
What a lovely way of combining all of your memories into a new one. I am very envious of your Christmas morning breakfasts – mine growing up involved Vegemite on toast, although that was probably in preparation for the massive amount of food that was going to be consumed only a few hours later at lunch! I will be attempting a nut-free version of your recipe. Have a lovely Christmas 🙂
Haha the drive involved terrible fast food so morning had to be good 😉 This would work perfectly with dairy or oat milk instead of almond and you can use pepitas or other seeds in place of the sliced almonds in the streusel. A very happy Christmas to you too!
Well, you have me stumped. I don’t recall ever making baked French toast but have a recipe somewhere in that wooden box…I had it somewhere once. We did have lots of French toast made of hallah bread. But I love your new creation. Memories are funny and wonderful to hear about …
Haha I thought that might be the case ;D I know I made a simpler version for Christmas breakfast the first year you were back at the farm and we were in NY – but had no idea you even had a recipe in that box. This is a good one though. xoxo
Baked French toast sounds so much easier than the pan-fried version and I love all the fruit in this too. I’ve never thought to make a bread pudding with a crunchy crumble topping – all the best parts from some of my favourite desserts assembled into breakfast! Inspired 🙂
The topping was nearly an afterthought but may be the best part of it all ;D
I seriously want to dive head first into this JJ!! Cannot wait to make it.
Diving is highly recommended ;D
This looks so good JJ! I love summer fruits and this is a perfect way to transform fresh nectarines into intensely flavoured, soft, sticky deliciousness. Wish that I had seen this before Christmas, I totally would’ve gone for a baked French toast breakfast (particularly with the amaretto, YUM). But it’s still nectarine season – I totally know what I’m eating this weekend 😉 xxx