This overnight panettone french toast is the perfect make-ahead breakfast for a stress-free morning!
This overnight french toast uses panettone as the main ingredient. I love how easy it is to make, and the flavor is outstanding! The candied fruit and raisins in the panettone really add a unique and delicious flavor to the whole dish. Plus the amaretto whipped cream and maple syrup add a beautiful topping and finishing touch.
I love the convenience that this dish provides. Simply prep it at night (only takes 1o minutes!), put it in the fridge overnight, and bake in the morning! It's a great make-ahead dish so you don't have to stress in the morning. Speaking of make-ahead Christmas recipes, this pandoro tiramisu is also a great option! While it may not be a breakfast dish, it's a great dessert option!
I would almost just make it for the smell that it fills the house with! A sweet, scrumptious smell of baked panettone. Your kitchen will smell like you've walked into a bakery. Something you definitely won't get with eating fresh panettone.
Some people would call this a panettone bread pudding; I call it an overnight french toast - but whatever you call it, it's delicious!
What is Panettone?
Panettone is an Italian Christmas dessert that originated in Milan. It has a dome-like shape, and has a light, fluffy, bread-like texture due to the fact that it is made with yeast and is allowed to rise for approximately 12 hours.
Its main ingredients are usually flour, eggs, butter, yeast, dried raisins, candied oranges, citron and lemon zest.
The very classic version of panettone has raisins and candied fruit in it. But with the mass production of panettone, new flavors have emerged, like limoncello panettone, or panettone with a hazelnut crust.
Is Panettone a Bread or Cake?
A bit of both! Panettone's texture definitely resembles a light, fluffy bread. But it is sweet and eaten like a cake.
What Does Panettone Taste Like?
It tastes like a rich and buttery cake. The raisins and candied fruit add a beautiful aroma and flavor to this light and airy cake.
How to Make Panettone French Toast - Step by Step
Butter baking dish. Cut panettone into slices. Place into a buttered baking dish so that they fit snugly and slightly overlap. I cut my 700g panettone into about 15 pieces.
Mix eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl. Pour this mixture over the panettone (photo 1) Cover the baking dish in saran wrap and place it in the fridge overnight.
When you're ready to eat your panettone, take it out of the fridge and preheat the oven to 350 F (photo 2)
Once the oven is heated, place the baking dish inside the oven and bake for approximately 45 mins or until golden brown and all the custard has absorbed into the panettone (photo 3)
Feel free to top with amaretto whipped cream, fresh berries, sliced almonds and maple syrup!
Top Tips to Make This Overnight French Toast:
- I used a 10x13 inch baking dish to make this panettone french toast
- You can use an enamel baking dish, or a glass or ceramic baking dish would work well also
- Using a panettone with candied fruit and raisins works best with this dish. They add a wonderful flavor to the dish, even if you traditionally don't like candied fruit! Using a pandoro would not yield the same results and flavor, since pandoro's texture is different from panettone's.
More Italian Christmas Recipes You Might Like:
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Recipe
Overnight French Toast - Panettone Version!
Ingredients
Panettone French Toast
- 1 700g Panettone
- 6 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Butter to grease baking dish
Amaretto whipped cream
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 3 tablespoon amaretto liqueur
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
Panettone French Toast
- Butter baking dish. Cut panettone into slices. Place into a buttered baking dish so that they fit snugly and slightly overlap. I cut my 700g panettone into about 15 pieces.
- Mix eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl. Pour this mixture over the panettone. Cover the baking dish in saran wrap and place it in the fridge overnight.
- When you're ready to eat your panettone, take it out of the fridge and preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Once the oven is heated, place the baking dish inside the oven and bake uncovered for approximately 45 mins or until golden brown and all the custard has absorbed into the panettone.
- Cut into square slices. Feel free to top with amaretto whipped cream, fresh berries, sliced almonds and maple syrup!
Amaretto Whipped Cream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the whipping cream, amaretto and sugar together until stiff peaks form.
Recipe Notes
- I used a 10x13 inch baking dish to make this panettone french toast
- You can use an enamel baking dish, or a glass or ceramic baking dish would work well also
- Using a panettone with candied fruit and raisins works best with this dish. They add a wonderful flavor to the dish, even if you traditionally don't like candied fruit! Using a pandoro would not yield the same results and flavor, since pandoro's texture is different from panettone's.
Gayle Prochko says
Hi Pina! I’m trying your overnight Panettone French toast for my family’s Christmas breakfast. Looking forward to it. Just came across your website while searching for this recipe...glad I found it! Love your story, too.
I know this will be a hit! Merry Christmas!
Gayle
Pina says
Hi Gayle! Thank you so much! This is a tradition for my family on Christmas morning - I think you'll like it as much as we do! Please let me know how it turns out!
Charlotte says
This was so delicious. I ended up having to bake it longer and had already topped with the berries and that just made it even yummier. Thank you.
Pina says
Hi Charlotte, happy new year! so glad you loved it
-Pina