Upside Down Apple French Toast

presented by The Manor Bed and Breakfast               
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon water
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
Cinnamon to taste
1/2 cup raisins, optional
1 loaf French bread, sliced 1 1/2 inches thick
1 1/2 cups milk
6 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Nutmeg to taste
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Coat a 13x9 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Combine butter, brown sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until just bubbling. Pour into baking dish. Allow to cool for 20 - 30 minutes. Place apple slices in rows, close together (or overlapping), on top of mixture in pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and raisins. Place bread on top of the apples. Mix milk, eggs and vanilla. Pour over bread. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake French toast for 60 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Just before the French toast is done baking, whip the whipping cream sour cream, white sugar and almond extract together on high until thickened. Serve the French toast upside-down. Spoon the sauce in the dish over the French toast. Place 2 tablespoons of whipped cream atop each serving and garnish with almonds.