Unrefined coconut oil or unsalted butter to grease pan
8 slices of your favorite bread (thawed if frozen), cut into 1-inch pieces, about 6 cups
6 large eggs
1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice
⅔ cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (I used Spread the Love)
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Accompaniments: ½ cup chopped toasted and skinned hazelnuts*, extra nut butter, pure maple syrup, sautéed banana or fresh raspberries, powdered sugar
Instructions
The night before you plan to serve this, grease an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 glass baking dish with a little coconut oil or unsalted butter.
Place the bread cubes in the baking dish.
In a blender, add the eggs, milk, hazelnut spread, vanilla, and salt. Blend until smooth. Pour over the bread cubes, pressing on the bread to make sure it all soaks up the egg mixture.
Cover and refrigerate the dish overnight.
The next morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes or until set.
Serve warm with desired accompaniments.
Notes
To double this, use a 13 x 9-inch baking dish and bake for closer to 55-60 minutes.
*To toast and skin raw hazelnuts: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the hazelnuts in a pie plate or baking sheet and toast the hazelnuts in the oven until the skins blister, about 15 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a clean kitchen towel and let cool, then rub to remove the skins. If you don’t mind hazelnut skins, you don’t need to remove them. Coarsely chop the nuts.
Recipe by Pamela Salzman at https://pamelasalzman.com/healthier-chocolate-hazelnut-french-toast-casserole-recipe/