My family and I have been craving the flavors of fall, but we like to avoid turning on the oven, if possible, during the late summer heat and humidity. Recently we were seeking a Sunday morning brunch recipe to use up some not-so-fresh bread. And, with a new puppy at home, we needed some prep-time and cooking-time flexibility.
With the help of Martha Stewart and her slow cooker cookbook, we easily managed to prepare her Apple French Toast recipe while the puppy napped on a Saturday afternoon. It chilled that evening and overnight. Early the next morning, it baked in the slow cooker for a little over two hours while the puppy played, and then was ready for us to enjoy by the time she zonked out for her late morning nap!
Stewart’s recipe calls for 1 pound of challah, but we substituted a loaf of cinnamon swirl bread. Following the rest of her recipe, we brushed the slow cooker insert with butter. Then we used a fork to combine 3/4 cup butter, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl until crumbs formed.In another bowl, we whisked 8 large eggs with 1 1/2 cups milk (omitting the heavy cream), 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons maple syrup. We sprinkled a third of the butter and sugar mixture in the bottom of the slow cooker insert, topped it with one diced apple, then covered that with half of the bread cubes. Then we topped that with another third of the butter and sugar mixture, the other half of the bread cubes, and sprinkled on the remaining third of the butter and sugar mixture. After the layering was finished, we poured the egg mixture over it and pressed gently to fully submerge it all. We refrigerated it overnight. The next morning, after cooking on high for 2 hours and 15 minutes (or low for about 4 and a half hours), we had a delicious bread pudding-like French toast brunch to enjoy on a lazy Sunday.
Martha Stewart’s Slow Cooker recipe book is available to request at Whitehall Public Library. Call us today, or add it to your holds list by clicking here. It is also available digitally on Overdrive/Libby.
