I’ve been wanting to make this baked french toast recipe for ages but it makes too much for just the two of us. The perfect solution was to invite the family over for Saturday brunch. It’s so easy as all the preparation is done the night before, all you need to do is pop in in the oven, sit back and enjoy your coffee.

Ingredients:
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 teaspoon Watkins maple extract
12 slices of bread (crusts trimmed)
1 1/2 cup whole milk
6 Large eggs
1 teaspoon Watkins vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions: Combine corn syrup, butter and brown sugar in a saucepan and simmer gently until the sugar melts then stir in maple extract. Pour the syrup mixture into the bottom of a greased 9×12 inch pan. Place the bread slices in a double layer over the syrup. In a separate bowl beat together eggs, milk, vanilla and salt. Pour egg mixture over bread. Cover the dish and let stand overnight in refrigerator. The following morning, preheat over to 350 °F. Uncover the pan and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until egg is set. Serves 4-6. Serve with bacon, ham, sausages or fruit.

You’ll find maple and vanilla extracts in the Watkins US catalog or the Canadian catalog.

Tips from the kitchen:

• Want a different taste? Substitute other Watkins extracts for an entirely new flavor.
• Use whole grain bread for a more hearty breakfast and white bread for a lighter meal.