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Today: December 22, 2024
Today: December 22, 2024

Baked French Toast With Oat Crumble Topping

Baked French Toast With Oat Crumble Topping
Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 4 hours or overnight for soaking)
Cook Time: 40 to 50 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours or overnight, including soaking time
Yield: 12 servings
A comforting breakfast centerpiece, perfect for leisurely weekends or holiday mornings that can be prepped in advance.

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 9 cups - Challah, brioche or other soft bread
  • for the baking dish - Butter
  • 8 - Large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups - Whole milk
  • 1/2 cup - Heavy cream or crème fraîche
  • 1/4 cup - Honey
  • 1 tablespoon - Vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon - Freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon - Ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon - Fine sea salt

Oat Crumble Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup - All-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup - Rolled oats (or use chopped nuts or sliced almonds)
  • 1/3 cup - Light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons - Ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon - Ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon - Fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup/114 grams - Cold unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into cubes

Syrup Topping

  • 1/2 cup - Good honey
  • 1 - Vanilla bean, split lengthwise
  1. Step 1 Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spread the bread cubes out onto a baking sheet and toast them until they are lightly golden, about 7 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  2. Step 2 Generously butter a 2-quart casserole dish or a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Lay the bread cubes evenly in the dish.
  3. Step 3 In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, honey, vanilla, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt until smooth. Pour this mixture over the bread cubes, ensuring that all the bread is well-coated. Press down gently to submerge the bread in the custard. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or, ideally, overnight. The mixture can rest in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
  4. Step 4 Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
  5. Step 5 To prepare the crumble topping, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a large bowl. Use your fingers or a pastry blender to cut in the butter until the mixture forms a crumbly texture. Alternatively, use a food processor to pulse the ingredients together until combined. The topping can be made up to 48 hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
  6. Step 6 Spread the diced pears, if using, evenly over the bread mixture in the dish. Sprinkle the crumble topping over the pears. Bake the casserole for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it is golden brown and firm. For a crunchier crust, consider broiling for the last 1 to 2 minutes, although it's delightful with a softer topping as well.
  7. Step 7 While the casserole bakes, prepare the honey-vanilla syrup. In a small saucepan, combine the honey with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water, depending on your desired thickness. Using a paring knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add them to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then remove it from the heat and allow the vanilla to infuse for at least 10 minutes. The syrup can be prepared up to a week in advance and stored in a sealed container.
  8. Step 8 Serve the baked French toast warm, accompanied by the honey-vanilla syrup or drizzled with maple syrup.

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 9 cups - Challah, brioche or other soft bread
  • for the baking dish - Butter
  • 8 - Large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups - Whole milk
  • 1/2 cup - Heavy cream or crème fraîche
  • 1/4 cup - Honey
  • 1 tablespoon - Vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon - Freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon - Ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon - Fine sea salt

Oat Crumble Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup - All-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup - Rolled oats (or use chopped nuts or sliced almonds)
  • 1/3 cup - Light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons - Ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon - Ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon - Fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup/114 grams - Cold unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into cubes

Syrup Topping

  • 1/2 cup - Good honey
  • 1 - Vanilla bean, split lengthwise

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