Praline French Toast is a special morning breakfast or brunch treat — way too rich for everyday! But some mornings just are special . . . such as this morning from our first year of cruising . . .
A Special Morning Treat
“Carolyn, you’ll never believe who’s anchoring next to us!”
A year and a half before, we’d camped the length of the Baja peninsula of Mexico. In La Paz, we’d met Maggie, a single-handed cruiser aboard Kismet. She told us of the beauty of the Sea of Cortez and invited us to go out to the islands with her.
Unfortunately, the timing hadn’t worked for us to go out on her boat. But we did follow her suggestion that we do a land-and-charter trip to Turkey (she was right: it was fantastic). And there, in beautiful Bodrum harbor, Dave and I decided to buy a boat and cruise full time.
In just a few months, we found our boat on the Pacific coast of Mexico. Nine months after that, we crossed the Sea of Cortez to the very islands that we’d talked about visiting with Maggie.
We’d gotten in just as the sun set the night before, the only boat in the anchorage. The next morning, Dave watched as another boat came into the anchorage. As it anchored, the name became visible: Kismet.
Why wait for happy hour to get together? We invited Maggie over for a very special reunion breakfast with Praline French Toast.
Notes on Praline French Toast
Praline French Toast is also a great dish for a potluck brunch, cut into tiny pieces so everyone gets just a nibble.
Boat-friendly tips: storing eggs and milk and half-and-half that doesn’t require refrigeration. Unlike many “special breakfast” dishes, this does not require overnight refrigeration, making it very boat-friendly.
Baked Praline French Toast
Ingredients
- 1 loaf bread
- 8 eggs
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- dash salt
Praline Topping
- 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar or white sugar with a tablespoon of honey
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- If not already sliced, slice the loaf of bread into 1” thick slices. Spray a 9” x 13” baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange the bread slices in the pan to cover the entire bottom – you will probably have two or three layers, depending on how thick your slices are. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs, half and half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until well blended, but not frothy. Pour the mixture into the pan, over the bread slices. Make sure all the slices are soaked.
- Make-ahead option: If desired, the pan may be refrigerated overnight, but it is not necessary.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. and let egg mixture soak into bread as it preheats. Also while oven is preheating, mix ingredients for praline topping in a small bowl. Spread topping over the bread mixture just before baking.
- Bake uncovered at 350° F. for about 40 minutes until golden on top.
- Cut into squares. Serve warm with maple syrup or plain.
Notes
Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
Simplify meal prep on board with proven strategies for provisioning, maximizing fridge space, and cooking delicious meals aboard your boat.
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