This recipe originally came from the first Stoneware Sensations cookbook by The Pampered Chef. It’s one of the recipes I fell in love with a decade ago. Recently, I added the strawberry sauce and made it even more spectacular. The ease of making it the night before means it’s a great weekday breakfast too! (This recipe can be easily halved to make just four servings.)
1 loaf french bread
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
4 T granulated sugar, divided
1 t vanilla
1/8 t salt
¼-½ t ground cinnamon (optional, to taste)
1 cup sliced strawberries
2 T granulated sugar
1/2 cup + 2 T heavy whipping cream, divided
1 banana, sliced
Arrange the French bread slices (cut side down) in a 9×13 baking dish. Combine the eggs and next five ingredients; blend well and pour over the bread slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.
Slice fresh strawberries and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Cover and chill overnight.
The next morning, preheat oven to 400. Bake the bread uncovered for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Put strawberries (with the juice made by the sugar) in a small saucepan and simmer about 3 minutes. Remove strawberries from the juice and set them aside. Add ½ cup whipping cream to strawberry juice and whisk until boiling. Pour into a glass container, add 2T more whipping cream and beat on high about 2 minutes. It will thicken only slightly, but this is fine.
Arrange a serving of French toast slices on plate and drizzle with strawberry sauce. Spoon sliced strawberries and sliced bananas on top and enjoy!!