Breakfast Week: Wake up happy with this baked french toast recipe

When you take the flavors of classic french toast and marry them with the techniques used to make bread pudding, the result is quite magical. It’s also super convenient, as you can prepare it the night before then bake and serve hot from the oven in the morning without any fuss. All you need alongside is a good cup of coffee and some crisp, salty bacon to start your day off with a smile.

Although many recipes turn to french baguette when making a bread pudding-style dish, my preference is for a richer and more delicate selection in the bakery aisle. I used buttery brioche for this batch, however I typically reach for challah bread if I'm able to find it. Your bread selection will make the difference between a more flaky, puffed result vs. a more crumbly and dense pudding.

Here are some ideas on how to add another dimension to the dish, and customize it depending on what you’re in the mood for:

~Mix in chopped pecans or walnuts before baking to add some crunch

~Toss julienned apples in with the bread mixture and serve with cinnamon infused whipped cream

~Macerate fresh strawberry or peach slices with a sprinkling of sugar, and spoon over the top after baking

~For a rich topping, whip mascarpone cheese with vanilla bean and sugar until sweet and creamy

The recipe:

Baked French Toast

1 and 1/2 pounds challah or brioche bread, cut into large cubes

1 tablespoon butter

7 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups half & half

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Fresh seasonal berries, maple syrup

Use the butter to grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish. In a bowl, whisk the eggs until light and fluffy. Add the heavy cream, half & half, vanilla, sugar, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon, and whisk well. Add the bread to the bowl and toss to coat before pouring into prepared casserole dish. Pat down the bread to be sure each piece is coated in the custard mixture. Cover with foil, refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, or overnight if possible.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake covered for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until golden brown, about 25 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving with warm maple syrup and fresh berries to garnish.

This article appears in Jun 24-30, 2009.