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Overnight french toast for 2

AuntieJenny (z9/19 SoCal)

7 years ago

I would like to surprise my husband on his birthday by making overnight french toast so I can prepare it the day before in secret. :-)

Is it easy to convert a large recipe to a smaller one in an 8x8 dish and freeze leftovers? I'd like to use thick slices of cinnamon bread rather than break it into pieces. I have recipes, but I need to know if the conversion works.

Thank you!

Featured Answer

plllog

7 years ago

I think this is a good idea! The fresh pancakes with the pancake smell and all. And you won't be trying something new but not exactly as stated for his birthday. That's inviting all kinds of trouble!

Overnight French Toast is basically bread pudding made from slices rather than torn bits. It requires a hardier and much drier bread than is usually best for French toast or bread pudding. Brioche or challah will turn to mush if left soaking in custard for that long.

Re the baking time, no, not half the time, though you could start there and check. Smaller will bake faster but not that much faster. If a 9"x13" is supposed to bake in a bit over half an hour, the 8"x8" will probably bake in about 20-25 minutes, at my best guess. That's one of those keep an eye on it kinds of things.

If you wanted to make real French toast and prep the night before, you could make up the custard and put it in a covered measuring bowl, container, pitcher, or whatever, in the fridge, and set your sliced bread out to dry. You can wash and cut strawberries the night before as well, or whatever else goes with it. You could even do the mise en place with your tools and pan. Then just put the bread in to soak first thing (perhaps in a bowl with a dish on top and a weight to speed up the soaking), start the coffee, etc., and you're ready to go.

Pancakes still sounds better for a surprise treat! Not as fancified, but much more enticing an aroma. :)

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Comments (8)

annie1992
7 years ago
auntiejenny, I've not tried it, but I see no reason why reducing the recipe by half or whatever wouldn't work. In addition, I make the Creme Brulee french toast and I use thick slices of bread, usually brioche (gotta gild that lily, LOL).

It's basically a custard poured over bread. (shrug) The form of the bread makes little difference to me, and the custard is mostly similar in the recipes, using milk or cream, eggs, sugar and flavorings. The bottom layer in the Creme Brulee is just butter and brown sugar and I usually make double because everyone loves that sticky caramel bottom layer.

So, yes, I'm sure you can use slices and also relatively certain that the amount of custard can be reduced to suit your pan size.

Annie
AuntieJenny (z9/19 SoCal)
Original Author
7 years ago
Thank you, Annie. Would you bake a half size for the same amount of time? I'll probably stick with a standard version since we try to minimize our sugar intake -- the syrup he pours on it will be plenty -- and there will other sweets provided on other occasions during the week.
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Don't forgot to schedule a dentist appointment soon - its really sweet :) I never thought of turning it upside down on a platter - I guess since you've already done that, cooksnews, it comes out of the pan okay. I always serve bacon with it cause it is so sweet, it needs it in my opinion. You can use any kind of good, firm bread Shaun. And if you are going to ask if I cut the crusts off, I don't - maybe if the end is really, really hard I would cut that off, but otherwise I don't. I can get Challah here all the time in my supermarket too, but I use a French loaf also, doesn't matter.
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AuntieJenny (z9/19 SoCal)
Original Author
7 years ago
Actually, I've decided to make pancakes since he craves them and rarely eats them anymore. They used to be his standard breakfast on Saturday mornings, then Friday mornings.... then very rarely due to reducing sugar and flour intake. It will be a special treat for his birthday to wake up to the smell of something yummy in the kitchen and find pancakes on the griddle. :-)
User
7 years ago
I think that sounds yummy! There is nothing like a good pancake . . . unless it is a better waffle (BIG GRIN)!
annie1992
7 years ago
auntiejenny, happy birthday to your husband. I agree, if he craves pancakes, then it should be pancakes.

So, what else are you having? Bacon? Sausage? Fruit topping? All I really need is an over easy egg and some real maple syrup, but that's not really birthday breakfast worthy...

Annie
AuntieJenny (z9/19 SoCal) thanked annie1992
marycharm
7 years ago
Happy Birthday to "Mr. Jenny". You've got me singing some John Denver right now . . . . .

Well, I got me a fine wife, I got me old fiddle.
When the sun's coming up, I got cakes on the griddle.
And life ain't nothing but a funny, funny riddle, thank God I'm a country boy.
AuntieJenny (z9/19 SoCal) thanked marycharm
AuntieJenny (z9/19 SoCal)
Original Author
7 years ago
Thank you everyone! I forget what a friendly funny helpful group this is. :-) I'll also cook bacon, fresh strawberries, and pour-over-drip coffee. I'm planning to add frozen blueberries on top of the pancakes as they cook.

The hardest part will be getting up early enough to sneak into the kitchen before he wakes up!

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