Overnight French Toast Casserole

Ingredients

Instructions

0 of 7 steps complete

1. 1Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and spread the bread cubes in an even layer. Day-old, slightly stale brioche soaks up custard without dissolving; if your loaf is fresh, toast the cubes at 300°F for 10 minutes and let them cool first.
2. 2Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, granulated sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt in a large bowl or pitcher until completely smooth, scraping the bottom so no yolk is left behind.
3. 3Pour the custard evenly over the bread and press down firmly with a spatula so every cube sits below the surface. Cover tightly and refrigerate 8–12 hours, pressing it down once after the first hour as it settles.
4. 4Mash the flour, brown sugar, cold cubed butter and pecans in a small bowl with a fork or your fingertips into coarse, pea-sized clumps. Keep it cold until bake time — cold butter is what makes the topping crisp rather than pasty.
5. 5Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Let the assembled casserole sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, then scatter the streusel over the top and drizzle the melted butter evenly across it.
6. 6Bake uncovered 40–45 minutes, tenting with foil after 25 minutes if the streusel browns too fast, until the top is deep golden, the center is set with only a faint jiggle, and an instant-read thermometer in the middle reads 160°F.
7. 7Cool 10 minutes before serving so the custard firms into clean squares. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with warm maple syrup; leftovers reheat beautifully, covered, at 325°F for 10 minutes.