BAKED FRENCH TOAST WITH PECAN CRUMBLE

Baked French Toast with Pecan Crumble image

Provided by Paula Disbrowe

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

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French toast:
1 1-pound loaf challah, sliced 1" thick
Unsalted butter, room temperature (for baking dish)
4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Pecan crumble and assembly:
1/2 cup pecans
2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Blackberry Syrup

Steps:

For french toast:
Spread out bread on a rimmed baking sheet; let stand overnight.
Butter a 13x9" baking dish. Cut bread so slices are similar in size. Arrange, overlapping, in rows in prepared dish.
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.
For pecan crumble and assembly:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Pulse pecans, butter, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor until nuts are coarsely chopped.
Scatter pecan crumble over soaked bread. 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), 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until deeply browned, 35-40 minutes longer. Let cool slightly before serving with Blackberry Syrup.
Bread can be soaked 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Pecan mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.