Lunch: Baked French Toast

Thick brioche slices soak up the batter for this baked French toast, while sugared pecans lend a caramelized crunch. Refrigerating the dish overnight leaves nothing to do but top it with pecans and bake it the next morning.

Ingredients

2 c. milk
1/3 c. heavy cream
1/3 c. sugar
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Coarse salt
1 c. pecans (coarsely chopped or crushed)
6 large eggs
10 slice day-old brioche
Rum-Raisin Maple Syrup

Instructions

Beat eggs in a bowl. Whisk in milk, heavy cream, 1/3 cup sugar, vanilla extract, nutmeg, and salt.
Working in batches, dip 10 slices day-old brioche into batter to coat. Overlap brioche slices in a 9-by-13-inch ceramic or glass baking dish. Pour remaining batter over top. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Top with pecans and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sugar. Bake, covered with parchment-lined foil, for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake until top is golden brown and crunchy, 20 to 25 minutes more. Serve with syrup. Looking for more breakfast recipes? Start the day with one of our French toast recipes, easy quiche recipes, or breakfast casserole recipes that feed the whole family.