ingredients

• 9 slices chunky cinnamon raisin bread at room temperature. day old's better, even. (day 1)
• 6 eggs (you may need more) (day 1)
• 1/2 almond milk (you may need a bit more) (day 1, maybe day 2)
• 2 tsp cinnamon (day 1)
• 1 tsp nutmeg (day 1)
• 2 tsp vanilla (day 1)
• 1/2-3/4 c raisins (day 1)
• cooking spray or something to grease the pan
• 1/2 c sugar (brown preferred, white's ok) (1/4 c day 1, 1/4 c day 2)
• 1/2 c chopped nuts (walnuts and/or pecans are good) (day 2)
• 1/2 stick butter cut into smaller bits (this is for day 2)

equipment

• baking pan- i like a 7-8" wide round casserole with high sides, so it puffs up quite a bit. if you want yours less... tall... and more square use a 9 x 11 baking pan or so. preferrably with a cover.
• spoon
• medium mixing bowl
• whisk or spoon
• paring knife
• pancake spatula or something for serving.

  this is one of those overnight soaks, by the way.

tear bread into bits of 1-2" in diameter, without being precise. you can cut it if you want. whip together the eggs, 1/2 c. almond milk, cinnamon, 1/4 c of the sugar, nutmeg, and vanilla. grease the pan, and put in the bread. mix in the raisins. pour in the egg and almond milk mixture. stir to combine. leave over night in the fridge.

the next day, check to see if the liquid is absorbed. if it looks not too dry, good. go ahead and preheat oven to 350, with a rack in the middle. if it looks dry, perhaps dump a bit of the almond milk on it. then scatter the rest of the sugar, the butter, and the nuts on top.

when the oven's read, stick it on the middle rack. check after 30 minutes- this may take anywhere from 40-60 minutes (or maybe a bit more, depending on your oven). when the middle is set, remove from oven. let sit for a few minutes before you dish it out (it's easier).

this comes out somewhere between baked french toast and bread pudding. i like the height, as mentioned, of the casserole. so far i've liked heated cherry/blueberry/other berry mixed jam on top the best.

© the bent sun as risen