Baked Pumpkin French Toast

Our family loves French toast and we also love pumpkin so this was the perfect mixture!  This recipe came from my friend Camille Tusler.

Baked Pumpkin French Toast

1 loaf French bread
6 large eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Spray a 9 x 13 inch backing pan with cooking spray.  Tear French bread into chunks, or cut into cubes, and evenly place in the pan.  In a large bowl, mix together eggs, milk, pumpkin puree, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Pout evenly over bread.  Cover pan with saran wrap and store in refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Streussel Topping

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. cold butter, cut into pieces

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Add butter pieces and cut into the dry mixture using a fork or your hands.  Combine until the mixture resembles sand with a few pea-sized chunks.  Cover and store mixture in refrigerator.  When ready to bake the French toast, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Remove French toast from refrigerator and sprinkle crumb mixture over the top.  Bake for 45-55 min. or until the French toast is set and golden brown.  Serve warm, with syrup, id desired.