BAKED BLUEBERRY PECAN FRENCH TOAST WITH BLUEBERRY SYRUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• Spread the pecan halves evenly on a baking sheet.
• Toast them until fragrant, about 8 minutes.
• Sprinkle the salt over the pecans and toss evenly to coat; set aside.
• Butter a 9- by 13-inch baking dish.
• Cut the baguette into 1 1/2 inch thick slices and arrange them in an even layer in the baking dish. If some of the bread slices won't fit, save them for another use - note that if you stack slices, the cooking time will increase.
• Whisk together the eggs, milk, 1/2 cup of the brown sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg in a large bowl, and pour the mixture evenly over the bread. Turn the bread slices to coat them evenly.
• Chill the mixture, covered with plastic wrap, until all the liquid is absorbed by the bread, at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F Take the baking dish from the refrigerator and let sit for about 30 minutes to take some of the chill off.
• Just before baking, sprinkle the pecans and blueberries evenly over the soaked bread.
• Combine the butter with the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat, stirring, until the butter is melted. Drizzle the butter mixture over the bread.
• Bake until blueberry juices are bubbling around the edge of the pan and the bread is heated through, 20 to 25 minutes.
• To make blueberry syrup:.
• Cook the blueberries and maple syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat until most of the blueberries burst, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Pour the syrup through a sieve into a heatproof pitcher, pressing on the solids to extract as much blueberry flavor as possible.
• Stir in the lemon juice.
• Set the pitcher in a pan of warm water to keep warm until ready to serve.