Strawberry Hedgehog (fancy French Toast)

An unusual name for a breakfast recipe, I know. The name comes from the way this French toast looks when it is baked - it is baked whole, with cuts down the center marking off each serving slice - giving it the appearance of a hedgehog...well, sort of...you have to use your imagination. Adapted from Country Living years ago.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 7

Ingredients

• 3  large eggs
• 1  cup skim milk
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  lb  braided  challah, unsliced
• 2  cups fresh strawberries, hulled
• 1⁄3 cup maple syrup
• 3  large fresh strawberries, with stems (optional)

Directions

1. The night before, grease a 7x11" baking pan.
2. Beat eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon together.
3. Using a serrated knife, trim off the crust from the bread sides, leaving top and bottom intact.
4. Place the whole loaf of bread with the long sides facing you.
5. Using knife, starting from one short end and making your way from right to left, make 7 evenly spaced cuts halfway through the bread, making it look like a fan.
6. Place bread in pan and pour egg mixture on top, making sure it gets inside the cuts too.
7. Cover and chill overnight (or at least several hours).
8. Preheat oven to 350°F.
9. Unwrap and bake 15 minutes.
10. Cover with foil and bake another 30-35 minutes, or until cooked through.
11. Meanwhile, slice berries, stir in syrup and set aside.
12. Place bread onto a serving platter and top with berries, garnishing with a few perfect large berries.