French Toast Strata

A wonderful maple-flavored baked french toast breakfast casserole with apples, raisins, and nuts from Yankee Magazine. Time does not include chilling time.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 loaf  French bread or 1⁄2 loaf  Italian bread (1-pound)
• 2  tablespoons butter or 2  tablespoons margarine
• 1  large cooking apple, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup seedless raisin
• 1⁄2 cup  coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1  cup sour cream, divided
• 6  eggs
• 1 1⁄2 cups milk
• 1⁄4 cup maple syrup

Directions

1. Slice the bread into 1/2" slices, then halve the slices; set aside.
2. Melt the butter or margarine in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and saute the apple until just softened, about 3 minutes, then remove from the heat.
3. Stir in the raisins, walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/2 cup of the sour cream.
4. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, milk, maple syrup, and the remaining 1/2 cup of sour cream.
5. Butter a 10" pie plate or a 9" square baking dish.
6. Layer half the bread in the prepared baking dish, spread the apple and sour cream mixture over the bread; then layer with the remaining bread.
7. Pour the egg and milk mixture over all and cover.
8. Chill in the refrigerator for 2-24 hours.
9. When ready to prepare, preheat the oven to 325 and bake the strata, uncovered, 50-60 minutes, or until set and lightly browned.
10. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.