I grew up eating orange rolls. You know the ones … by Pillsbury. Yep, each year on Christmas morning, these were our special treat. And you know what? Mom was right. Christmas morning should be as simple as popping open a can, placing some rolls on a cookie sheet and spreading on the orange-flavored icing when they are finished baking. But these orange rolls are getting harder to find, and I do like the idea of actually making something sorta from scratch.
This recipe blends my nostalgia for the Pillsbury orange roll in an easy-to-make French toast casserole that you can make ahead, on the 24th, in no time at all. Then, simply bake on Christmas morning, and voila! You have the best breakfast around. Add some eggs and bacon if you need the protein, but really, all anyone will want is a scoop of this deliciousness with a side of fruit. I promise.
If you want it even more like the Pillsbury rolls, drizzle on some icing. I found a good recipe for mimicking the real deal here.
French Toast Casserole with Orange Zest
Ingredients
- 1 large loaf of French bread from Panera sliced and diced (or about 10 cups of one-inch cubed French bread)
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
- 8 large eggs
- 1 cup 2 % milk
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Zest of 1 orange
- Juice of same orange
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- Topping:
- 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 cup chopped bourbon pecans optional (I prefer the ones at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.)
Instructions
- Coat a 9 x13-inch glass baking dish with butter.
- Arrange the bread cubes in the baking dish. Place the cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the eggs,1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add the milk, half-and-half, vanilla, cinnamon, orange zest, orange juice and powdered sugar; mix until smooth.
- Pour this mixture over the top of the bread cubes and cover with plastic wrap. Chill overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the dish from the refrigerator, remove plastic wrap, and let stand for 20 minutes. Bake 45 to 50 minutes (test by sticking a knife in the center). Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar and chopped bourbon pecans just before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Resources:
Dinnerware is Vietri and available at fine boutiques. For a full listing of stores, please see:Â vietri.com/store-locator
