Hummingbird Farms Lavender French Toast Bake

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers
• 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 large loaf soft italian bread, cut into 1-inch slices, crusts removed (may use soft french bread)
• 5 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• powdered sugar
• pure maple syrup

Recipe

• 1 in a small saucepan, over med-low heat, warm cream and lavender for 5 minutes or until steaming.
• 2 remove from heat and let cool while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
• 3 in another small saucepan, over medium heat, combine brown sugar, butter, and maple syrup, stirring until smooth and sugar has dissolved.
• 4 pour into 13 x 9 inch glass baking dish.
• 5 arrange bread slices in a single layer on top, pushing the slices tightly together.
• 6 in a big bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
• 7 strain cream mixture through a fine sieve into egg mixture, discarding lavender; whisk to combine.
• 8 pour evenly over bread.
• 9 cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• 10 preheat oven to 350°; meanwhile, let casserole stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• 11 uncover and bake for 35-40 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown.
• 12 serve hot, with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and a light drizzle of maple syrup.