Oven French Toast

This is the brunch hack that lets the host actually sit down with the guests. Slabs of French bread get tucked into a buttered baking dish, soaked overnight in a vanilla-laced custard of eggs, milk, and half-and-half, then crowned with a maple-pecan brown sugar topping the next morning. Twenty minutes in the oven and brunch is served.

The overnight soak is what makes this version so much better than skillet French toast. Day-old French bread (stale is actually better here) drinks up the custard for hours, so by morning every cubic inch is saturated and silky. Fresh bread sits on top of the custard like a sponge that won’t squeeze. If you only have fresh, slice it the night before and let it dry out on the counter for a few hours before assembling.

The topping is the part that earns the cleared plates. Soft butter creamed with brown sugar and a splash of maple syrup becomes a praline-style spread once you fold in the pecans. As it bakes, the sugar caramelizes into a chewy crust over the puffed custard underneath. No syrup needed at the table, which is a relief at a busy brunch.

Pro Tips

• Use stale or lightly toasted bread. Fresh bread turns the casserole gummy.
• Cover tightly during the overnight chill. The custard tries to crawl out of the dish if you give it room.
• Let the dish stand 5 minutes after baking before serving. The custard finishes setting from residual heat and slices cleaner.
• Sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt over the topping right before baking. The salt cuts through the brown sugar and brings out the pecan flavor.

Variations

• Swap pecans for walnuts or sliced almonds.
• Tuck slices of fresh banana or peeled apple between the bread slices for a fruit-forward version.
• Drizzle with bourbon-spiked maple syrup at the table for a more grown-up brunch.