Baked Eggnog French Toast With Cranberries And Apples

Total Time: 1 hr 16 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 16 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 cups apple cider
• 6 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
• 3 golden delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (1 1/4 lb.)
• 2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen, thawed and patted dry)
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus more if needed
• 12 thick slices bread, cut on a sharp diagonal, from a day-old baguette
• 2 1/2 cups purchased eggnog
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ground cinnamon, a pinch
• 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Recipe

• 1 for cranberries and apples--whisk together the apple cider, corn syrup, and brown sugar in a large heavy saucepan set over high heat.
• 2 boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 15 minutes.
• 3 whisk in 4 tbsp of the butter until melted.
• 4 remove from the heat and set aside.
• 5 melt the remaining 4 tbsp butter in a large heavy frying pan over medium heat until hot.
• 6 add the apples and saute, stirring 2 minutes.
• 7 add the cranberries and sugar, and stir until the cranberries begin to pop, about 2 minutes.
• 8 stir in the reduced cider mixture and cook until the mixture has reduced to a syrup-like consistency, about 6 minutes.
• 9 taste and stir in more sugar, if desired.
• 10 for the eggnog french toast--arrange the bread slices in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
• 11 whisk together the eggnog, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a bowl.
• 12 pour the mixture over the bread.
• 13 cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
• 14 arrange a rack in center of oven; preheat oven to 450°.
• 15 butter a large, rimmed baking sheet with some of the melted butter.
• 16 using a metal spatula, transfer the bread slices to the baking sheet.
• 17 brush the bread with the remaining melted butter.
• 18 bake for 10 minutes, and then turn and bake until golden brown on the outside, and still soft inside, 5-6 minutes.
• 19 watch carefully so they do not burn.
• 20 arrange two slices on each of six dinner plates and mound the warm fruits on top.
• 21 dust generously with powdered sugar and serve.