Chocolate Panettone French Toast Bake

Any leftover Christmas Panettone? I had some in the pantry that we just never got around to enjoying. So I thought I might turn it into french toast.

Panettone is an enriched, sweet bread often studded with raisins and subtly flavored with citrus. It's served quite regularly around the holidays in Italian households. Personally, I love mine schmeared with chocolate hazelnut spread alongside a cup of hot coffee. YUM.

So riffing off of my preferred pairing - panettone and chocolate hazelnut spread - I developed a recipe for Chocolate Panettone French Toast.

Panettone serves as the bread, of course. The french toast custard is sweetened with chocolate hazelnut spread. I've amped up the citrus flavor just a bit by adding a little palm full of orange zest. I couldn't resist the temptation to keep tinkering. So this luscious french toast bake is topped with a sweet and crunchy streusel.

This french toast is just perfect on its own, dusted with powdered sugar or served with warm maple syrup. It'll pick you right up and out of those post-Christmas blues!

Chocolate Panettone French Toast Bake

Ingredients

For the French toast

·       ~20oz panettone, sliced into 1in cubes

·       2 tbsp raisins

·       1 tbsp mini chocolate chips

·       8 eggs

·       1 ½ cup half & half

·       ½ cup chocolate hazelnut spread (like Nutella)

·       2 tsp vanilla extract

·       ½ tsp almond extract

·       ½ tsp cinnamon

·       Zest of 2 medium oranges

·       Pinch of salt

·       Powdered sugar, for serving

·       Maple syrup, for serving

For the topping

·       1/3 cup flour

·       1 tbsp sugar

·       1 tbsp brown sugar

·       Pinch of salt

·       2 tbsp butter, chilled & cubed

·       ¼ tsp almond extract

·       Splash of water

·       ¼ cup hazelnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 375F.

For the French toast…Grease a 2.5qt baking dish. Scatter the bread over the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle the raisins and chocolate chips evenly over the bread. Nestle some of the raisins and chocolate chips into the bread.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and half & half. Add the chocolate hazelnut spread. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is mostly smooth and combined. Whisk in the extracts, cinnamon, orange zest and salt. Pour the custard over the bread. Using your fingers, gently press the bread cubes into an even layer to ensure all bread is moistened. Allow to soak for at least 15 minutes or overnight.

For the topping… in a small bowl, mix together the flour, sugars, and salt. Add the cubed butter. Using the back of a fork, cut the butter cubes into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the almond extract and a splash of water. Mix together with your fingertips until the dough begins to clump together. Stir in the hazelnuts.

Bake for about 60-75 minutes until the center is puffed and the top is deep golden brown. If desired, dust with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup.

Serves 6

Gluten Free Friendly!

You can order Schar Gluten Free Panettone online.