Family Breakfast- Baked Cinnamon French Toast

I've been posting a lot of breakfast recipes lately.  We LOVE to have family breakfast on the weekends, and my son Daniel especially loves it.  One of my favorite breakfasts is French Toast and this baked French toast recipe is a regular in my house.  It's very easy, you can prep it the night before, and it bakes up while you enjoy your cup of morning coffee and relax! This also makes a great dish for a breakfast gathering!  I affectionately call this dish "Pain Bourré" or Drunken Bread in French.

Baked Cinnamon French Toast

• 2 loaves (approx. 24 slices) Cinnamon Bread - with or without raisins- cut into cubes.  Note: I make cinnamon bread very easily from scratch by using my bread machine to make the dough and then baking it in the oven.
• 2 cups Vanilla Half and Half - Note: Organic Valley has French Vanilla Half and Half that I LOVE and I always use it for this recipe.  You can use regular half and half and add 2 teaspoons of vanilla to it.  
• 6 large eggs
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins 
• 1 tbsp. raw sugar
• Butter and maple syrup for serving

Spread the cubed bread and cranberries (or raisins) into a 13X9 inch baking dish.  I use my stone baking dish for this but you can use any 13X9 that you have.  If you are not using stone, be sure to grease your baking dish thoroughly to avoid sticking.  In a bowl, whisk the eggs and half and half together until it is a light yellow custard.  Pour the custard over the bread mixture and press the bread into the liquid to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate two hours to overnight (I always do this overnight, the longer it stays soaking, the better it is).  When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.   Sprinkle the top with the raw sugar.  Bake one hour or until puffed up and golden brown on top.  Serve hot out of the oven with butter and maple syrup. YUM!