So you can compare, here are the ones I have.
EXPORTED FROM LIVING COOKBOOK
FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLEDo not substitute low-fat or skim milk for the whole milk in this recipe. Walnuts can be substituted for the pecans. Be sure to use supermarket-style loaf bread with a thin crust and fluffy crumb; artisan loaves with a thick crust and chewy crumb don’t work well here. The casserole needs to sit in the refrigerator, well covered, for at least 8 hours in order to achieve the desired consistency, and it can be made up to 24 hours in advance.
Oven Temperature: 350°F
Servings: 8
Preparation: 30 minutes Cooking: 1 hour and 30 minutes Inactive: 8 hours Total Time: 10 hours
CASSEROLE:
16 oz. bread , torn into 1" pieces
1 TBS. unsalted butter , softened
8 large eggs
2½ cups whole milk
1½ cups heavy cream
1 TBS. granulated sugar
2 tsps. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
TOPPING:
4 oz. unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
1⅓ cups light brown sugar (9⅓ oz.)
3 TBS. light corn syrup
2 cups pecans , chopped coarse
FOR THE CASSEROLE:
Adjust 2 oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 325° F. Spread the bread out over 2 baking sheets and bake until dry and light golden brown, about 25 minutes, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking time. Let the bread cool completely.
Coat a 13" X 9" baking dish with the butter and pack the dried bread into the dish. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until combined and then whisk in the milk, cream, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread and press on the bread lightly to submerge.
FOR THE TOPPING:
Stir the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup together until smooth, then stir in the pecans.
TO STORE:
Transfer the topping to an airtight container and wrap the dish tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the topping and casserole separately for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
TO SERVE:
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350° F. Unwrap the casserole and sprinkle the topping evenly over the top, breaking apart any large pieces with your fingers. Place the casserole on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until puffed and golden, about 1 hour. Serve immediately.
Recipe Type: Bread, Breakfast and Brunch Foods, Cooks Illustrated, The Best Make Ahead Recipe
Source: The Best Make-Ahead Recipe .
Web Page:
http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes ... ocid=21916Serving idea: Why this recipe works: Testing for our French toast casserole recipe began with bread. We found that French and Italian loaves, with their dense texture and thin, chewy crust, worked best. We also found during our tests that the French toast casserole recipe was best when we “staled” the bread in a moderately hot oven, allowing it to toast slightly before assembling the dish. For the custard, we settled on eight whole eggs and a little less than twice as much whole milk as heavy cream, which gave us a rich and custardy but not cloying result. This was breakfast after all, not dessert.
MAKE-AHEAD FRENCH TOASTFirm, high-quality white sandwich bread, such as Arnold Country White or Pepperidge Farm Hearty White, works best here.
Oven Temperature: 350°F
Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking: 20 minutes Inactive: 10 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes
4 TBS. unsalted butter
2 cups half-and-half
2 large eggs
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 TBS. all-purpose flour
2 TBS. vanilla extract
2 tsps. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
8 slices hearty white sandwich bread
MAKE CUSTARD
Heat butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat until golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in half-and-half, eggs, sugar, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt; transfer to 13" X 9" baking dish.
PREPARE BREAD
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat broiler. Set wire rack inside rimmed baking sheet. Arrange bread on rack and broil until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Decrease oven temperature to 350°F. Soak half of toast slices in custard mixture until just saturated, about 30 seconds per side. Return soaked bread to rack and repeat with remaining toast. Bake until center of bread registers 160° F. on an instant-read thermometer, about 8 minutes.
FREEZE
Let toast cool on rack 10 minutes and then freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Transfer slices to Ziploc freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. When ready to eat, toast in toaster on medium power until heated through. Serve.
Recipe Type: Bread, Breakfast and Brunch Foods, Cooks Country, Make-Ahead
Source: Cooks Country 7/2009
Web Page:
http://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/Mak ... =M00KSCM00