Winter Breakfast Change-up….Baked Croissant Apple & Walnut French Toast!

Hey y’all! Long time no write…lol. You know I missed ya! Well I have some goodies to share with you. I know it’s been pretty cold here along the coast of eastern North Carolina and I personally want Jack Frost to leave me alone…lol. The routine of having to bundle up with layers of clothing isnt I deal however I do it and move on through my day. I hope you’re staying warm and trying new dishes. 

A few years ago I ran across a recipe that was similar to the one I’m going to share with you only it used bananas, which are easy to obtain anytime of the year. It was tasty but heavy. I wanted to simplify it and create something that was buttery and flavorful yet lighter. So a few days ago, I was on Pinterest looking at bread pudding recipes and ran across a recipe for an croissant french toast. I decided right then that this could work for me with a few tweaks of course.

I added some things and took away some things to make it quick and easy…or at least quicker to put it together. This is a recipe that requires some time for the bread component to absorb the custard part. Instead of using fresh apples, because I didn’t want to take the time to peel and core them, then cook them done like you would for a hand pie, I used a large can of apple pie filling and a single serving of cinnamon applesauce. It was the perfect match for this dish. I also used 12 small croissants because that’s what I had at home. Use what you have, no need to go out and purchase something if you have a perfectly good substitute.  Changing something up can give you the confidence to explore new things. Try it. What can go wrong  could be just right for you. 

Both the pie filling and applesauce are sweet, there isnt a need for additional sugar or seasoning unless you would like more  cinnamon.  The pie filling I used had some in it. No additional butter either.  The croissants are layered with butter during the process of making them. So making the custard is easy and quick. I mixed it in my measuring cup. It’s the 4 cup size. It consists of eggs, heavy cream, whole milk, and vanilla bean paste. I switched out the half and half for heavy cream and added an egg along with the vanilla bean paste. The other recipes I looked at used traditional vanilla extract. You can use either one. It’s something about the paste that let’s you see the tiny, black speckle of the ground vanilla seeds in your creations that make me oh so happy….lol. I love it! 

With all that let’s get the pre-party started! This dish does need several hours for the croissants to absorb the custard…at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. 

LET’S COOK!

Baked Croissant Apple & Walnut French Toast 

Ingredients

1 large (15-16 oz) can of seasoned apple pie filling

1 single serving of cinnamon applesauce

12 small croissants

5 large eggs

1 c heavy whipping cream

1/2 c whole milk

1 tbsp vanilla bean paste

1/2 c walnut pieces

 

1. The night before….or at least 4 1/2 hours before you want to have this cozy, warm, deliciousness…use a 9 x 13  baking dish and spray the sides with non stick baking spray.  Pour the pie filling in and spread across the pan. Then do the same thing with the applesauce.

 

2. Tear the croissants into small pieces and layer on top of apple mixture.

3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together  eggs, milk,  vanilla bean paste, and heavy cream until the eggs are well incorporated.  Pour over the croissants and push down to make sure everything is moist. Then spread the walnut pieces on top.

4. Cover and refrigerate!

5. Preheat your oven to 350° F.  Make sure you’ve allowed at least 4 hours to lapse…remove dish from fridge…its time for the magic to happen!

6. Uncover and bake for 35- 40 minutes. It should be golden brown and beautiful. It will rise and fall once you remove it from the oven.  Let it set for about 15 min before slicing into it. Top with maple syrup or maybe a dollop of cool whip.!

Let me know how it turns out!

I’ll post pictures soon…I’m having some technical difficulties….but I want you to enjoy this so I had to share!

Be kind to one another and remember Life is Good! It’s what you make it!

 

 

Finally some pictures…my family totally enjoyed this. It was something different without the added sugar.