French Toast Casserole

Method

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1. Butter a 23 x 33 cm baking dish and spread the bread cubes in it.

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2. Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt until smooth and pour evenly over the bread.

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3. Press the bread down so all of it is soaked. If you have time, cover and refrigerate overnight. Otherwise leave it to soak for 30 minutes.

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4. Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F.

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5. For the streusel, mix the sugar, flour and cinnamon, rub in the cold butter until crumbly and stir in the pecans.

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6. Scatter the streusel over the bread.

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7. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until puffed, golden and set in the middle, with a knife coming out clean.

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8. Rest 10 minutes, then serve warm with maple syrup.

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Chef’s Tips

• Use rich, slightly stale bread. Soft sandwich bread turns to mush.
• Press the cubes under the custard so none dry out or burn.
• Cover with foil if the streusel is browning before the middle sets.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Double cream won't whip if you swap it, but for the cooking itself, full-fat crème fraîche or a lower-fat single cream works in its place.

Pairing Suggestions

• Crisp bacon
• Fresh berries
• Hot coffee

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 4 days and reheat squares at 160°C for 15 minutes. Freeze baked squares for 2 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.