Sweet Christmas Breakfast

Ever since the kids were little,  we have had some sort of strata or other make-ahead breakfast on Christmas morning.  We would get up early, open our Christmas stockings, then get into our Christmas-best outfits and go to Mass  to say Happy Birthday to Jesus.  Before we left, I would pop the casserole in the oven on time-bake and we would arrive home to a delicious hot breakfast casserole to eat before opening gifts.

But...this year I won reserved tickets for Christmas Eve mass (Isn't it wonderful that so many people want to go to Mass on Christmas Eve that the fire marshall says that we have to give out tickets!) So I thought maybe the kids might want to break with tradition and have a made-to-order breakfast on Christmas morning...

Apparently they are traditionalist - they all voted for my version of Apple-Dapple French Toast Casserole.

Apple Dapple French Toast Casserole

The smell of the apples and cinnamon cooking on Christmas morning was to-die-for!

I added in a fruit platter and some sausage links and breakfast was made! 

About to be gobbled up Christmas Breakfast!

Doesn't the fruit look like Christmas jewels?

My husband and I first had Apple Dapple French Toast at a little B&B in Gettysburg, Pa.  I have made several versions of it since - Most of them have been a bit too sweet for my taste, so for my version I used more apples and less sugar.  This year I used this recipe as a base and then started modifying.  Recipes are just suggestions, right?

Here is my version...This makes a huge 10 x15 inch casserole of yumminess!

Apple Dapple French Toast

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

5 tsp of ground cinnamon

8 apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced (I used 4 gala and 4 granny smiths)

1 - 2 cups of frozen blueberries

1 large loaf of Challah bread cut into 1 inch cubes

10 eggs

2 1/4 cup of milk

1 1/2 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

1.  Combine the brown sugar, 2/3 of the butter and 3 tsp of the cinnamon in a large baking dish

2.  Add the apples and the blueberries.  Toss to coat.

3.  Spread apple mixture evenly over the bottom of the baking dish

4.  Mix eggs , milk, vanilla, and remaining 2 tsp of cinnamon until well blended

5.  Gently toss the Challah bread into the egg mixture, soaking the bread completely

6.  Arrange the bread on top of the apples

7.  Cover and refrigerate 4-24 hours

8.  Remove from the refrigerate and let sit for about 30 minute

9.  Bake the casserole, covered in preheated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes or until the apples begin to bubble  

10.  Uncover the casserole, top with remaining melted butter and bake for 15 min more until the bread is lightly browned on top.

11.  Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving

12.  Top with warm maple syrup if desired

Hoping that your Christmas morning was filled with lots of apple-dapple sweetness too!  :-)