½cupdried cranberries(plus additional for garnish, if desired)
Instructions
Cut the bread into approximately 1 inch cubes.
1 ½ pounds French bread or other hearty bread
Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray, and add the bread, apples, and cranberries, and mix slightly.
2 apples, cut into bite sized pieces, ½ cup dried cranberries
Using a whisk or hand mixer, combine the milk, eggs, half & half, vanilla, cinnamon, and syrup.
1 ½ cups almond milk, 6 large eggs, 1 cup half & half, 1 tablespoon vanilla, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, ¼ cup pure maple syrup
Pour mixture over the bread cubes in the slow cooker, using a spoon to make sure all the bread get soaked.
Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
Video
Notes
You can use all milk if you don't have half & half on hand.
This dish is pretty sweet on it's own with the maple syrup, so no need to add additiona sugar.
No need to peel the apples. I used a wedger to core them and then I simply sliced each wedge into 4 or 5 pieces.
If you have the option for your slow cooker to switch itself to the 'Warm' setting, it is good if you can do that after about 4 hours for less burning around the edges. However, no one in my family minded those 'more cooked' pieces, they were still delicious!
If you need more than 5-6 hours of sleep (like me!), hopefully there is a night owl in your family (my husband) who can turn the crock pot on for you before they go to bed.