Coconut-Ginger Baked French Toast

Ingredients

• 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.))
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 8 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, (cut into 1/2" pieces)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons finely minced candied ginger
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• softened butter
• warm maple syrup
• additional cream of coconut

Instructions

1. 1

   --- French Toast ---

2. 2

   Butter the bottom and sides of a 9" x 13'' pan. Cut or tear the bread into chunks, about 1" in size.

3. 3

   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.

4. 4

   --- Topping ---

5. 5

   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.

6. 6

   --- Bake ---

7. 7

   Remove pan from fridge and uncover. Preheat oven to 350°F.

8. 8

   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.

9. 9

   --- Serve ---

10. 10

    Serve with softened butter, warm maple syrup, and/or additional cream of coconut. Fresh berries are also good with this.