Apple Maple French Toast Bake

1. At 6:30 AM on a Sunday morning, tune the radio to Sunday Baroque, because the last thing you want to hear this morning is election coverage. Pre-heat oven to 375 F.

2. Assemble ingredients for a sweet bread-pudding recipe you found in the East End Co-op mailer. Discover that you forgot to buy bread yesterday.

3. The Co-op doesn't open until 8 AM. Cut up the rest of the bread in the refrigerator, enough for 4 cups instead of 5-6.

4. Adjust the recipe with 2/3 the milk, 3/5 the eggs (they're extra large), 3/4 the butter and apples, and 100% of the cinnamon, ground ginger (really? not nutmeg? weird), brown sugar, and Illinois maple syrup.

5. Whisk eggs, milk, 1/2 the cinnamon, and nutmeg. Fold in bread. Add in the brown sugar you forgot.

6. Melt butter in pan while chopping apples. Dropped pieces of apple belong to the chef (after washing off, of course). Stir in maple syrup and the rest of the cinnamon. Turn off the heat.

7. Butter a glass baking dish. Combine the bread mixture with the apple mixture.

8. Bake for 2/3 the time. Wash dishes. Let sit for 5 minutes.

9. Serve with hot tea, fruit, and yogurt.

The bread was almost too soft, but the apples were still crunchy and tangy. Only needs extra maple syrup if your sweet tooth has already gotten out of bed. We thought it was just fine as it was.

Ingredients:

4 cups cubed bread
3 tangy apples, chopped
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 brown sugar
1/4 maple syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (no judgment if you substitute nutmeg; not sure if you could tell the difference)

Bake for 30 minutes at 375 F.

Do you prefer a savory bread pudding? Try this dinner recipe.
More fun with apples: baking apple pie with immigrants.