This marmalade overnight french toast bake made the perfect breakfast on a stormy day.

Hence the limited number of photos as it got eaten so quickly i couldn’t photograph it.

Even though i posted another recipe yesterday, this seemed too delicious to not share immediately.

Its great because its the perfect dish to ease food waste. Using a stale left over loaf.

The weather has been awful recently, rain and storms non stop so i have been baking like mad.

This meant i had lots of left over bread and some cream that needing using.

I instantly thought of a bread pudding type dish.

I found a recipe in Michelle Lopez from hummingbird highs book called overnight french toast for a crowd and thought it would be perfect.

The marmalade adaptation was my spin on it. Marmalade bread and butter pudding is such a common thing here in the uk.

It reminds me of school dinners, I often make it with some chopped up dark chocolate too.

I made the marmalade my self with some Seville oranges, and it was begging to get used. I shared my recipe for it on my Instagram highlights here.

Michelle’s recipe was so easy to prepare. All i had to do was mix the ingredients and pour it over the bread.

Then its left in the fridge overnight to soak up all the yummy custard.

Her book is called weeknight baking, it breaks up recipes into smaller tasks to fit in around busy schedules.

I used some left over saffron and cardamom milk bread, but any stale bread can be used. Michelle recommends a challah loaf in the book.

At Christmas time i made it with panettone, and for Easter i will no doubt make it with hot cross buns.

Now that i have a delicious and reliable custard recipe in her book i’m sure i can adapt it for many things.

overnight french toast bake with marmalade and orange

adapted from michelle lopez’s recipe in the book weeknight baking

orange flavoured overnight french toast bake for a crowd adapted from a recipe by Michelle lopez from hummingbird high

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine european

Grease a 9×13 inch cake tin, or any large baking dish you like. I used a round one.
Butter each slice of bread.
Spread marmalade onto each slice and arrange in tin so it overlaps slightly.
In a large bowl whisk the eggs together until light and frothy.
Add milk, cream, vanilla, sugar, salt, cinnamon and orange zest and whisk together until combined.
Pour mixture over the bread and cover and leave to absorb over night in the fridge. (alternatively you can make this in one day and leave to soak for 20 to 25 minutes)

Position rack in the centre of the oven and preheat the oven to 180c 350f.
Uncover the bread and sprinkle over 1 tbsp of the demerara sugar evenly over the top.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until golden and puffed up and set in the middle.
I covered it with foil after 40 minutes because of the way i positioned the bread standing up.
Once baked, add the remained 1 tbsp of demerara sugar and blow torch to brulee, alternatively leave this step. Serve immediately with a dollop more marmalade and some cream if you desire. Left overs are lovely as a dessert warmed up with some ice cream.

You can also add some roughly chopped dark chocolate for a chocolate and orange combination.

Keyword french toast