Orange Laced French Toast Casserole with Caramelized Bacon
TOTAL TIME2 hrs 15 mins
SKILL LEVELAdvanced
SERVINGS4
About this RecipeOrange-Laced French Toast Casserole with Caramelized Bacon is a citrusy, custard-soaked breakfast bake layered with cream cheese and topped with sweet, crispy bacon. Perfect for brunch or holidays, it’s a warm, crowd-pleasing favorite.
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Ingredients
Gather Ingredients from the list below 1 loaf French bread, sliced into 1/2" slices 4 oz. Cream cheese, softened 1 1/2 cups Milk 1 cup Heavy cream 1 tsp. Ground cinnamon 2 tbsps. Orange zest 1 Orange, juiced 8 Eggs 8 tbsps. Butter, melted 1/4 cup Maple syrup garnish Confectioner's sugar garnish Orange slices 3/4 cup Light brown sugar
Gather Ingredients from the list below
1 lb., divided Hometown Original Bacon
Directions
1.
Casserole Preparation: Cook 1/2 lb. of bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until cooked through but not quite crispy. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
2.
Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on one side of each slice of French bread.
3.
Grease a 9x13x2-inch baking dish and layer half of the cream cheese-coated bread slices (cream cheese side up) in the dish.
4.
Add the cooked bacon slices evenly over the bread, then top with the remaining bread slices, cream cheese side down, to form sandwich-like layers.
5.
In a mixing bowl, blend together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, orange zest, orange juice, melted butter, and maple syrup until well combined. Pour this mixture evenly over the layered bread.
6.
Gently press down the bread with a spatula to help it absorb the liquid. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
7.
Baking the Casserole: The next morning, place the casserole directly into a cold oven. Set the oven to 325ºF and bake for 60 to 90 minutes, or until the center is set and the edges are golden brown. If it browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
8.
Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving. Dust with confectioner's sugar and garnish with caramelized bacon and orange slices. Serve warm with maple syrup.
9.
Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving. Dust with confectioner's sugar and garnish with caramelized bacon and orange slices. Serve warm with maple syrup.
10.
Caramelized Bacon: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking tray with foil and place a baking rack on top.
11.
Add 1/2 lb. of bacon to a plastic bag with sugar and toss to coat. Arrange bacon on the rack and bake for about 8 minutes per side, turning once, until dark golden brown. Let cool before using as garnish.
