Crispity-crunchity on the top, and soft and eggy tender underneath, this Overnight Coconut-Ginger Baked French Toast has everything – EVERYTHING – going for it!
When I saw this recipe for Coconut-Ginger Baked French Toast in Ree’s newest cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks – A Year of Holidays, the only thing I could think of was MOM. Oh, how she loves coconut. There were plenty of other recipes that definitely called my name, too, but I just had to give this one a try. For MOM. ;)
I absolutely love a big dish of breakfast that can be made the evening before, placed in the fridge to get all cozy in its flavors overnight, and then baked the next morning without lifting a finger except to preheat the oven. And Ree’s coconut and ginger baked French toast did not disappoint. My family has overwhelmingly approved it.
My favorite overnight savory dish is a Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Egg Bake. It is spectacularly flavorful. Even people who don’t like eggs (our oldest daughter) or egg bakes (my husband) love this dish, and go in for seconds every single time I make it. And another recent favorite, more to the sweet side, is an Overnight Baked Apple Oatmeal with Crunchy Brown Sugar Streusel. It’s heavenly, and has won over my dad and mom.
This overnight dish, though, deserves a whole different category. Might I suggest “dessert for breakfast”?
It is sweet and gorgeously fragrant with coconut and ginger. Crispity-crunchity on the top, and soft and eggy tender underneath, this French toast bake has everything – EVERYTHING – going for it.
And I can even say that before I ever added a pat of softened butter and drizzled a bit of extra coconut cream yum over the top of my portion. The French toast bake surely doesn’t need this extra bit of lovin’. It’s plenty wonderful without, but I think it’s the only way to go. And I’m 100% positive that MOM, who already makes so many of Ree’s recipes, will agree with me.
I canNOT wait to make this dish for our next overnight guests. Hmmmmm…any takers for a night at the Score Hotel??
Coconut-Ginger Baked French Toast
Ingredients
French Toast
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 pound artisan or crusty sourdough loaf (I use sourdough)
- 1 cup cream of coconut (I use Coco Real brand "Cream of Coconut", sold alongside drink mixers in stores.)
- 1½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
- 8 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Topping
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into ½" pieces
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons finely minced candied ginger
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Serve
- softened butter
- warm maple syrup
- additional cream of coconut
Instructions
French Toast
- Butter the bottom and sides of a 9" x 13'' pan. Cut or tear the bread into chunks, about 1" in size.
- In a large bowl, combine the cream of coconut, milk, cream, ginger, eggs, sugar, vanilla and coconut extracts. Whisk until smooth and then stir in the coconut flakes. Pour mixture evenly over the bread.
Topping
- In a medium bowl, combine the butter, flour, brown sugar, ground ginger, and salt. Use a rigid pastry blender or fork to cut together until crumbly and combined, then stir in the candied ginger and coconut flakes. Sprinkle topping mixture evenly over the soaked bread, then cover the pan with foil and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Bake
- Remove pan from fridge and uncover. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place pan in oven and bake 45-60 minutes for a softer casserole, or a bit longer for a firmer French toast with a crisper topping. Remove pan from oven. If desired, drizzle a bit more cream of coconut over the top. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Serve
- Serve with softened butter, warm maple syrup, and/or additional cream of coconut. Fresh berries are also good with this.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Isn’t Ree’s latest book just so pretty?! It begs you to hold it, to page through it, and to step into her family’s life through a year of holidays on the ranch. It’s so much more than a cookbook. Filled with heartwarming and witty and often laughable stories, plus awesome ranch photos and enticing recipes, I’m certain this book is going to get alot of use around here.
I met Ree for the first time about a year ago, with our daughters, at a book signing at Mall Of America. Ree was so warm and lovely to Hatti & Tessa – she really made a lasting impression on their young minds. That experience still plays a big part in their wanting to watch Ree’s show on Food Network, and they especially enjoy when we make one of her recipes.
Tessa, our youngest, is crazy for animals. Especially horses. And Ree’s cookbooks are always the ones I’ll find missing from the shelves when she is needing a horse fix…
…or a Charlie fix. She thinks that dog is cute and funny and adorable, and always loves when he makes an appearance on Ree’s Food Network show.
I had to laugh when I got to the Acknowledgements in the back. To the paragraph where Ree thanks almost a dozen bands/singers from the 80’s for being with her during the cookbook writing process. Ree’s good like that, always keeping it real. Always making you smile. And I can totally relate…sometimes a little “Sweet Child ‘o Mine”, cranked a little too loud, is the only way to get the job done.
The Pioneer Woman Cooks – A Year of Holidays is a wonderful book that I hope finds its way under many a Christmas tree this year. It’s filled with scrumptious recipes to make any celebration a special and delicious one.
Disclosure: Thank you, Ree, for sending me a copy of “The Pioneer Woman Cooks – A Year of Holidays”. All opinions are my own.
Thanksgiving. Never disappoints.
I love Halloween…I know this giveaway is for a Christmas cookbook, but Halloween is my favorite holiday to decorate for!
Mother’s Day. It’s specifically for a very special person.
I’m new here! But I LOVE your writing style and so wish I was a bit more “country” and a little less “suburbs”! *Crossing my fingers for a little help by way of Ree’s cookbook!*
I love all holidays (sorry I missed that part on the widget), but for cooking I love Christmas best!
My favorite holiday is Christmas Eve– for the traditions, the food, the family time, and for the fun!
Any day with family, friends and good food is a holiday for me! But, since I enjoy the fall season, I would have to say that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year.
Coconut ginger french toast! Who could pass that up. I don’t have her new book yet, but it looks awesome.
Christmas!
Love thanksgiving
4th of July
Thanksgiving!!!
Christmas, all of the family is together and lots of good food.
Favorite holiday has got to be Christmas but Thanksgiving for gratitude followed by Halloween and Easter are close by.
Christmas is first, with Easter a very close 2nd!
CHRISTMAS.On Christmas Eve my Children and Grand Children all come to dinner at my house.I’m so Blessed.
Thanksgiving! We have SO much to be thankful for!
I really want this!
I love to watch Rea cook! She is very sincere and her recipes are delicious…..hope I win a book!
Valentine’s Day is my favorite. I just love sweets, especially boxed chocolates!!!!
I love Christmas!! The decorating, cooking and being with my family makes it even better!!!