Pineapple Upside Down French Toast

Ingredients

8 thick slices egg bread, crusts removed (about  3/4-inch or 2 cm thick)
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) milk
1/4 cup (50 mL) sugar
1/4 cup (5 mL) vanilla
1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cinnamon
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
3/4 cup (175 mL) brown sugar
8 round pineapple slices (14 oz can or 398 mL)

Directions

In a large shallow pan, place slices of bread. In a large bowl, beat eggs with milk, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Strain mixture over the bread. Turn bread over and allow to soak at least 10 minutes (up to overnight in the refrigerator) or until ready to bake. In the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch (3 L) baking dish, place butter. Place pan in a preheated 375 F (190C) oven for 3 to 5 minutes until butter has just melted. Carefully remove from oven. (Remember pan is hot!) Sprinkle bottom evenly with brown sugar. Press sugar into butter. Arrange slices of pineapple in the sugar in two rows of four. Place a piece of bread is puffed and browned. Remove from oven. Cool 5 minutes. To serve, invert onto a large octagonal platter and cut into squares or cut around each slice of bread and serve each piece upside down with a slice pineapple and some juices over top.

Makes 4 or 8 servings

Preparation: 5 minutes

Cooking: 10 minutes.