Overnight Crunchy French Toast

This overnight French toast solves the biggest problem with morning cooking: nobody wants to stand at the stove flipping slices while everyone else eats. Bread gets dipped in a vanilla egg custard, rolled in crushed corn flakes, and parked on a baking sheet in the fridge overnight. In the morning, straight into a hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Done.

The corn flake coating is what sets this apart from regular baked French toast. That overnight rest in the fridge does two things: the custard soaks deep into the bread, and the cereal coating bonds to the surface. When it hits the oven, the corn flakes toast into a shattering, golden crust while the inside stays soft and custardy. You get the crunch of fried French toast with none of the oil or mess.

Flip the slices once during baking so both sides crisp evenly. The bottom side sitting on the sheet will get the most heat, so turning halfway through prevents a soggy top and burnt bottom.

Kitchen Tips

• Use thick-sliced French bread, not thin sandwich bread. Thin slices get too soggy overnight and fall apart when you flip them.
• Crush the corn flakes by hand or in a zip-lock bag. You want coarse pieces, not fine powder. Powder creates a pasty coating instead of a crunchy one.
• Grease the baking sheet well or use parchment paper. The egg custard glues the toast to the pan otherwise.

Variations

• Cinnamon crunch: Add a teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the egg mixture for a warmly spiced version.
• Pecan crusted: Mix finely chopped pecans into the crushed corn flakes for a nuttier, richer coating.