French Toast Casserole

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5 from 3 votes

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Servings: 12

Calories: 709 kcal

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

10 cups French bread about 1 large loaf (or sourdough or ciabatta, cubed, 1kg
½ cup pecans or other nuts, chopped, 75g

To make the custard:

5 egg
1 ½ cups milk 354 ml
¼ cup sugar 55g
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg ground
¼ teaspoon salt

To make the topping:

4 tablespoons butter melted, unsalted
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg ground
⅛ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Cup of Yum

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F / 190 degrees C / gas 5. Slice your bread into 1-inch cubes, leaving the crust on.
Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. Add about half of the bread cubes in an even layer on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle half of the pecans on the top of the bread. Repeat with the remaining bread and pecans.
In a small bowl, make the custard. Start by whisking the eggs together, then whisk in the milk, sugar, orange zest, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1⁄4 teaspoon of nutmeg, and 1⁄4 teasoon salt. Pour evenly over the bread.
In another small bowl, make the topping by combining together the butter and brown sugar, then stir in 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1⁄8 teaspoon of salt. Drizzle evenly over the bread.
Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top of the casserole is browned. Some of the tallest bread chunks will turn dark brown and all of the bread should be baked and crispy.
Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with maple syrup and powdered sugar on top, if desired.

Notes

Select a sturdy bread like French, sourdough, or ciabatta. Slightly stale or day-old bread works best, as it can absorb the custard without becoming too mushy. When cubing the bread, try to keep the pieces of similar size to ensure even soaking and cooking. If you're adding nuts or other mix-ins like chocolate chips or berries, sprinkle them evenly over the bread cubes for a balanced distribution of flavors. The best part of this recipe is that you can prepare it the night before. After assembling the casserole, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it. This allows the bread to soak up the custard overnight. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread, making sure every piece gets soaked. You can gently press down on the bread cubes to help with absorption. Use an appropriately sized baking dish to ensure the casserole has enough room to expand while baking without overflowing. A 9x13-inch dish is commonly used for this recipe. When making the topping, ensure it's well-mixed and spread evenly over the casserole for a balanced, sweet crunch. When baking, cover the casserole with foil for the first part of the baking time. This helps the custard set without browning too quickly. Remove the foil for the last part of the baking time to get that golden crust. Keep a close eye on the casserole toward the end of the baking time to prevent it from becoming dry. It should be moist and slightly custardy in the center. Let the casserole rest for a few minutes after taking it out of the oven. This allows the custard to set further and makes it easier to slice. Enhance your French Toast Casserole by serving it with maple syrup, fresh fruit, a dusting of powdered sugar, or a dollop of whipped cream for added decadence. Storage - keep leftovers in an airtight container inside the fridge for 3 days.
Select a sturdy bread like French, sourdough, or ciabatta. Slightly stale or day-old bread works best, as it can absorb the custard without becoming too mushy.
When cubing the bread, try to keep the pieces of similar size to ensure even soaking and cooking.
If you're adding nuts or other mix-ins like chocolate chips or berries, sprinkle them evenly over the bread cubes for a balanced distribution of flavors.
The best part of this recipe is that you can prepare it the night before. After assembling the casserole, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it. This allows the bread to soak up the custard overnight.
Pour the custard mixture evenly over the bread, making sure every piece gets soaked. You can gently press down on the bread cubes to help with absorption.
Use an appropriately sized baking dish to ensure the casserole has enough room to expand while baking without overflowing. A 9x13-inch dish is commonly used for this recipe.
When making the topping, ensure it's well-mixed and spread evenly over the casserole for a balanced, sweet crunch.
When baking, cover the casserole with foil for the first part of the baking time. This helps the custard set without browning too quickly. Remove the foil for the last part of the baking time to get that golden crust.
Keep a close eye on the casserole toward the end of the baking time to prevent it from becoming dry. It should be moist and slightly custardy in the center.
Let the casserole rest for a few minutes after taking it out of the oven. This allows the custard to set further and makes it easier to slice.
Enhance your French Toast Casserole by serving it with maple syrup, fresh fruit, a dusting of powdered sugar, or a dollop of whipped cream for added decadence.
Storage - keep leftovers in an airtight container inside the fridge for 3 days.

Nutrition Information

Calories 709kcal (35%) Carbohydrates 121g (40%) Protein 27g (54%) Fat 13g (20%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Cholesterol 81mg (27%) Sodium 1125mg (47%) Potassium 341mg (7%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 14g (28%) Vitamin A 267IU (5%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 143mg (14%) Iron 8mg (44%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 709

% Daily Value*

Calories	709kcal	35%
Carbohydrates	121g	40%
Protein	27g	54%
Fat	13g	20%
Saturated Fat	5g	25%
Cholesterol	81mg	27%
Sodium	1125mg	47%
Potassium	341mg	7%
Fiber	5g	20%
Sugar	14g	28%
Vitamin A	267IU	5%
Vitamin C	1mg	1%
Calcium	143mg	14%
Iron	8mg	44%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.