Baked French Toast with Pecan Crumble

Baked French Toast with Pecan Crumble

Ingredients

For the French Toast

1-pound loaf challah, sliced 1-inch thick

Cooking spray or 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, room temperature (for coating baking dish)

4 large egg yolks

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Pecan Crumble

3/4 cup pecan pieces

2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Fresh raspberries and blueberries, if desired

 

Process:

French Toast

  1. Spread out bread on a rimmed baking sheet; let stand overnight.
  2. Butter a 13×9” baking dish. Cut bread so slices are similar in size. Arrange, overlapping, in rows in prepared dish.
  3. Whisk eggs, egg yolks, cream, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Pour over bread, pressing bread to help it soak up custard. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

Pecan Crumble and Assembly

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Pulse pecan pieces, butter, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor until pecans are coarsely chopped. Scatter pecan crumble over soaked bread.
  2. Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet and cover tightly with foil. Bake until warmed through (a knife inserted into the center should feel warm to the touch), 25 to 30 minutes.
  3. Remove foil and bake until deeply browned, 35 to 40 minutes longer. Let cool slightly before serving with fresh berries.