Baked Peanut Butter & Chocolate French Toast

Love Reese’s? This is basically the breakfast version of a chocolate peanut butter cup served in the form of an overnight baked French toast.

When it comes to the toast for breakfast trend, I’m still partial to the French kind. Sure I am kinda basic sometimes and want to put avocado on everything, but French toast is where it’s at (and I’m not sure avocados belong there). Especially when I can prepare it the night before and bake it in the morning, thus not standing over the stove top cooking each one individually in the morning.

This version of French toast has straight peanut butter spread between each layer of sliced French bread, cocoa powder beaten into the egg-milk mixture in which the bread soaks overnight, and more peanut butter and cocoa powder in the streusel topping. So little peanut butter sandwiches soaked in chocolate and topped with a peanut butte rand chocolate crunch. Sounds like the perfect start to the weekend if you ask me.

There are only 2 regular season games left in the Ohio State Buckeyes season including today’s last home game against Illinois. After today, we have Michigan away on Thanksgiving weekend and if we win out then we will go on to the B1G Championship game against Wisconsin. But what I’m getting at is that this year’s #PBChocSat series is nearing it’s end. Not that I won’t still post peanut butter and chocolate recipes, it just won’t be every Saturday.

I actually already know what I want to make for next weekend and it’s gonna be great (as always). But for now I’m relaxing at home (because we sold our tickets to a friend again) until later when we eat our faces off at Bonifacio’s 1st anniversary Kamayanfest party! This French toast served as my larger brunch so that I can skip lunch and be ready for the feast at 5. Gotta plan ahead for these kinds of things.

One year ago: Blackened Roast Turkey

Two years ago: Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast Stuffed with Pear Hash

Three years ago: Caramel Apple Pecan Cheesecake

Four years ago: Penne with Butternut Squash, Kale, and Goat Cheese

Six years ago: Baked Apple Cider Doughnut Minis

Seven years ago: Asian BBQ Chicken

BAKED PEANUT BUTTER & CHOCOLATE FRENCH TOAST

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

FRENCH TOAST

1 (16-oz.) French bagette

1 cup creamy peanut butter

8 eggs

2 cups 2% milk

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

STRUESEL TOPPING

1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp cocoa powder

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter

Directions:

1. Butter a 9×13 baking dish. Cut bagette into 1″ slices. Spread peanut butter on each slice and sandwich together. Arrange in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
2. In large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cocoa, vanilla, brown sugar, and honey. Pour over bread slices, separating slices as you pour so the mixture gets between them. Cover and refrigerate overnight (maximum of 18 hours).
3. Streusel may be made the night before and sprinkled on before baking the next day: In medium bowl whisk together oats, brown sugar, & cocoa. Cut in butter and peanut butter using two forks, a pastry blender, or your fingers. Mix until combined and crumbly. Set aside.
4. Remove baking dish from refrigerator and bring to room temperature (approximately 30 minutes). Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle streusel evenly over top of bread slices. Bake uncovered for 40-50 minutes, until cooked through, lightly browned, and there is no visible liquid. Center should be moist but not runny. To prevent over browning, loosely lay a sheet of aluminum foil over top during last 10 minutes, if necessary. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with maple syrup or chocolate maple syrup.

Source: Adapted from my Baked Apple French Toast with Streusel Topping.