It needs time to soak – so it would have to be several hours. As noted in the recipe – please cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but overnight is preferred.

I prefer the casserole when made with a fresh loaf. However, because it does sit for a while in the egg mixture it really doesn’t make a huge difference. As far as the cooking time – it will depend on your oven and if you are baking them side-by-side or each on their own rack. Some ovens are better than others for the latter. I have found that when stacking with one on each rack, not only do I have to increase the time but I also have to swap them about halfway through the baking cycle so they cook through evenly. I have not had to increase the time by more than a couple of minutes when baking side-by-side on the same rack.

Love the almond extract addition to my frenchtoast, instead of lemon. I also used honey instead of the maple syrup to lighten the sweetness. We will use maple on top if needed. I omitted the crumble mixture on top, also to lighten the sweetness, making this more diabetic friendly.