BAKED BANANA CHOCOLATE FRENCH TOAST: National French Toast Day

Today is French Toast Day. I love French Toast aka Pain Perdu. This wonderful food used to be a way to use up stale bread by dipping it in eggs and milk and frying it. I make French Toast with Challah, Brioche, or Sourdough, but I've been known to try other breads. And, my breads are usually fresh. We don't have a lot of 'leftover' bread at my house, ut it all works.

Today in honor of National French Toast Day, I'm sharing an easy recipe for Baked Banana Chocolate French Toast! I love Chocolate and Bananas, and this is a great make-ahead French toast recipe! OK, this French Toast is not fried, and it's a bit like a bread pudding, but it's still fabulous! You could always fry it by following the directions and putting the chocolate between two pieces of the bread for stuffed French Toast.

BAKED BANANA CHOCOLATE FRENCH TOAST

Ingredients
4 ripe bananas
4 eggs
3/4 cups half and half
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 loaf of Challah (or Brioche) cut in thick slices
1/2 cup dark chocolate, 65-75% cacao, chopped 

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Butter a 9" x 13" baking dish.
In large bowl, mash bananas. Add eggs, half and half, melted butter, 3 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla; mix until well beaten. Add bread and turn to coat.
Layer bread in prepared baking dish. Pour remaining mixture over bread.
Sprinkle with chocolate chunks and remaining tablespoon of sugar.
Bake 18 minutes, or until set & golden.