Baked French Toast With Raspberry Sauce

I'm still trying recipes, looking for the perfect baked French toast recipe. This one was pretty good, but I don't think it yet deserves the title of "Best Ever". The recipe calls for "challah, brioche, or other egg bread." I never go to specialty bakeries and have not tried many other breads--I feel like I'm really splurging when I buy a loaf of sourdough. So, when I saw some challah bread in the local Winn-Dixie, I grabbed it. They actually had more than one choice: braided challah bread, round challah bread, and round challah bread with raisins. That sounded perfect for my French toast recipe. . . . I enjoyed the challah bread with raisins when eaten by itself, but I did not favor it in my French toast. The raisins were not the right flavor with the egg mixture, almost like it was the wrong kind of sweet, if that makes any sense.

I also didn't get around to making the raspberry sauce, which I think would have really made this recipe special. Brett who is admittedly not a breakfast-lover (and thinks I'm a "breakfast freak") didn't like the texture of the bread after having been soaked. I think that's the whole point of overnight French toast. The recipe article gives this tip, "Let the thick slices of bread absorb the egg batter for at least 45 minutes, and your French toast will be deliciously custardy throughout" (italics added). Bottom line: I'll try this again with no raisins in the bread and topped with the raspberry sauce.

This recipe calls for only four slices of bread. I can eat three pieces of French toast myself in one sitting! That's not going to be enough, right? Wrong! When you cut a round loaf into 1-inch thick slices, those pieces of bread are big. My four slices filled up the 9x13 pan. And, after being soaked overnight in the egg and baked, it was quite filling.

Baked French Toast With Raspberry Sauce
Source: Everyday Food

4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 thick slices challah, brioche, or other egg bread (1 inch thick)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 bag (10 to 12 ounces) frozen raspberries (or strawberries), thawed
smoked chicken sausage, warmed, for serving (optional)

1. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, whisk together eggs, milk, 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla, and salt.
2. Arrange bread in dish in a single layer; let soak 15 minutes. Turn bread over; cover, and refrigerate until most of the liquid is absorbed, at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with butter. With a spatula, carefully transfer soaked bread to sheet. Bake until French toast is set in center and lightly browned on the bottom, 25 to 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine raspberries and remaining 1/4 cup sugar, mashing lightly with a fork.
5. Remove French toast from baking sheet with a thin metal spatula; serve with raspberry sauce and, if desired, sausage.