Baked French toast is something that checks a lot of boxes. It’s French toast, which we all love. It is baked, so it takes much less cleanup.
And for this recipe, I added some simple Afghan inspiration to make this French toast recipe a go-to for any brunch or family gathering.
Baked French Toast Basics.
A few keys exist to making great French toast, baked or cooked in a skillet. If you can stick to these basic techniques, you will have a delicious French toast every time:
- Flavorful custard. The custard is the egg mixture that you soak your bread in. You need some good, strong flavors; otherwise, you will have a bland toast. Many recipes add vanilla, like us. But we also kicked it up with orange zest and orange blossom water to brighten the dish.
- Get the toast brown. The last few minutes are key when baking or cooking French toast in a skillet. If you don’t get those brown bits on top, you will miss a big part of the caramelized flavor from the bread and custard joining forces.
- Get the right bread. The proper bread is key to any good French toast, especially a baked one. We recommend either a brioche or challah. You need bread with a significant substance to hold up to your flavorful custard.
We make fun stuff here. Try my Afghan Nachos or Afghan Pizza recipes.
Let’s Make the French Toast Afghan-Style.
It would not be an Afghan Cooks recipe if we didn’t add some Afghan inspiration. Without adding any complication to the dish, we made a few minor changes so that you know it is Afghan:
Saffron-Infused Butter. It isn’t listed in the recipe, but we added saffron-infused butter that we quickly made at home. Just melt a stick of butter and drop a few pieces of saffron in. Let the butter cool, and then add a pat to your steaming stack of delicious baked French toast.
Pistachios in the custard. Many people add sugar and cinnamon to their French toast. (so did we) But I also added crushed pistachios to that cinnamon sugar mixture. The pistachios add a richness and distinct Afghan flavor to this baked French toast recipe.
Easily Printable Recipe.
As always, we make this recipe easy to print and replicate. I suggest you watch the video if you have any questions. Also, leave a comment. I always respond. Are you a fan of Afghan Cooks and want to help spread the word? Well, social media is critical.
Finally, don’t forget us on social media. We are on Tik-Tok, Instagram, and Youtube. We also have an excellent non-spammy Afghan Cooks Club. Sign up for that, too!
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Baked French Toast – Afghan Inspired
Description
Indulge in a decadent Afghan-inspired baked French toast with rich brioche soaked in a creamy cardamom-infused custard. This dish is best served fresh out of the oven for a warm, aromatic delight and is topped with crunchy pistachios for a unique touch. Perfect for breakfast or brunch!
Ingredients
1 Loaf Brioche or any other thick bread
10 Eggs
2.5 cups heavy cream, half and half or whole milk
1 tsp Salt
1/2 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 Cup brown sugar
1/2 cup crushed pistachios
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- In a bowl, combine the sugar, pistachios, cinnamon and cardamom. Stir to mix well.
- In another large bowl, crack your eggs and whisk them well. Add the vanilla, salt, and orange juice and whisk. Add the milk, cream, and orange zest and stir or whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Butter a 9×13 baking dish.
- Sprinkle 1/3 of the brown sugar mixture in the dish. Add a single layer of bread to cover the bottom. Pour 1/4 of the egg mixture. Top with more sugar mix. Add another layer of bread and pour over the egg mixture, adding more sugar. Add a final layer of bread.
- Pour the remaining egg mixture over the whole dish, ensuring all the bread is covered. Sprinkle the remaining sugar mix on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.
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