Overnight French Toast You Cover and Forget

Ingredients

• 8 thick slices day-old challah (480 g)
• 5 large eggs (250 g)
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk (360 g)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (120 g)
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar (38 g)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (10 g)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (3 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (3 g)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter for the dish (28 g)
• 1 1/2 cups mixed berries (225 g)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup (40 g)

Instructions

1. Prepare. Butter a 9-by-13-inch ceramic baker. Arrange the challah slices in two slightly overlapping rows, keeping their upper arcs visible. Whisk eggs, milk, cream, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt until no white streaks remain. Pour slowly along both rows, returning to any pale patches instead of flooding one end of the dish.
2. Assemble. Press the slices down once, release them and spoon a little custard over the exposed upper edges. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 8 hours. Before baking, inspect the center row: the bread should look hydrated through its thickest area while each slice still has a recognizable outline. No deep custard puddle should remain at the corners.
3. Cook or chill. Uncover and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 to 35 minutes. The exposed ridges should turn amber and the center slice should spring back softly when pressed with a spatula. If it still sloshes beneath the surface, continue baking for a few minutes. Avoid compressing the whole dish with a knife check.
4. Finish. Let the dish stand for 5 minutes, then slide a thin spatula beneath each slice and lift it whole. Serve two slices per person, adding berries and maple syrup after plating. The upper ridges should stay lightly crisp while the lower crumb remains custardy. Keep the baking dish uncovered during this pause so condensation does not soften the surface.

Notes

• Use the white 9-by-13-inch ceramic baker and preserve the weights. Center cue: the baked whole-slice French toast with amber exposed ridges and a center slice that springs back softly.
• Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat one portion for 90 seconds, check the center and add brief bursts if needed.

Nutrition Facts