Ingredients:
8 slices French bread or 8 slices challah or 8 slices brioche bread
8 tablespoons butter or 8 tablespoons margarine
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 -3 tablespoons Amaretto or 2 -3 tablespoons other almond liqueur
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cup half-and-half
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup toasted & slivered almonds, chopped
4 eggs, lightly beaten
cooking spray
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 dash nutmeg
1/2 cup light brown sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Spray 13×9″ baking dish, generously.
Soak raisins in 2 tablespoons of Amaretto only, add 1 tablespoon more if needed, after raisins are plumped, drain.
Butter both sides of bread and place in baking dish, single layer, covering the bottom of dish.
In a bowl, toss almonds with sugar and sprinkle all over the bread.
Drizzle maple syrup and Amaretto-soaked raisins over almonds.
In a bowl, mix eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, half-and-half, milk, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Pour evenly over bread slices.
Let baking dish rest for 30 minutes, before placing in oven.
Bake for 30-45 minutes, until brown.
Working rapidly, invert on serving tray, cut into squares, and sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.
Enjoy and serve piping hot!
Servings: 6-8
Time preparation: 20 min.
Time total: 85 min.