Overnight Apple French Toast

This make-ahead French toast bake is the ultimate brunch move. Assemble it the night before, refrigerate it, and slide it into the oven the next morning while you make coffee. A sticky brown sugar-butter caramel lines the bottom of the pan, sliced Granny Smith apples layer on top, and custard-soaked French bread goes over everything.

Overnight in the fridge, the bread absorbs the egg-milk-vanilla custard completely, turning each slice into something closer to bread pudding than standard French toast. When baked, the bottom caramel melts around the apples and becomes a sticky, buttery sauce that you invert or spoon over each serving.

The warm apple syrup on top is a triple apple hit: applesauce, apple jelly, cinnamon, and cloves heated together until smooth.

Kitchen Tips

• Use day-old French bread. Fresh bread turns to mush after an overnight soak. You want the slices to hold their shape.
• Pull the pan from the fridge 30 minutes before baking so it comes to room temperature. Cold glass in a hot oven can crack.
• The caramel on the bottom will be very sticky. If you want to invert the whole thing onto a platter for a dramatic presentation, run a knife around the edges first.
• Granny Smith apples hold their shape during baking. Softer varieties dissolve into the caramel.

Variations

• Add a handful of chopped pecans to the caramel layer for a praline-style base.
• Swap the apple syrup for pure maple syrup if you prefer a simpler topping.
• Use brioche slices instead of French bread for an even richer, more custardy result.